MCA presidential hopeful Ong Tee Keat is far ahead of other MCA leaders in approval ratings among Chinese Malaysians, the independent Merdeka Center for Opinion Research has found.

In a survey of 1,002 registered voters, 76% of Chinese respondents said they had a positive impression of the MCA vice-president who is vying for the party’s No 1 post.

who qualified to lead mca 290908 merdeka centre Tee Keat was trailed by Ng Yen Yen, of whom 67% held a positive impression of the Wanita chief.

The question - ‘What is your impression of the following political personalities?’ - was asked exclusively of the Chinese respondents surveyed in the poll.

Carried out by Merdeka Center over two weeks between Sept 11 and 22, the poll is aimed at gauging voters’ perceptions of current issues, the state of the economy and the nation’s leadership.

Another presidential candidate, former vice-president Chua Jui Meng, trailed behind Tee Keat and Ng - he got 57% of the votes of those who had a positive impression of him.

He was followed by vice-president incumbent Dr Fong Chan Onn (56%) and deputy president candidate Chua Soi Lek (46%).

More Indian M’sians aware of MCA polls

To another question on who the respondents think is most qualified to lead the MCA, Tee Keat again blazed far ahead of the others in getting 40% of the votes. He was again trailed by Ng.

On the upcoming party elections, the poll found a surprising fact - more Indian Malaysians (70%) said they were aware the Oct 18 MCA party polls than Chinese (55%).

The survey also noted that one-third of Chinese respondents wanted BN component parties to be more ‘outspoken' within the ruling coalition.

To a question asked of all respondents, an overwhelming two-thirds disagreed that a politician who was tainted with a sexual scandal should hold a senior post in a political party and government.

Similarly, 64% said an apology from such a politician would not suffice for him or her to be accepted as a leader again.

While no name was mentioned, the questions were in connection to Soi Lek, the former health minister who was embroiled in a sex-tape scandal. He is seeking a political comeback by contesting the deputy president post.

However, Soi Lek can take comfort that the Chinese (48%) were more open to accepting an apology from such ‘tainted’ politicians compared to Malays (24%) and Indians (12%).