While the resignations of Ling Liong Sik and Lim Ah Lek were a good idea, it surprises me that not more has been said about how it took the prime minister to finally settle the issue.

It galls me that the strongest party for Chinese Malaysians cannot settle its own issues but requires its political master to resolve the leadership question.

As chairperson, Dr Mahathir has every right to settle matters within Barisan Nasional. However, under the coalition, the MCA is supposed to represent Chinese interests, not Dr Mahathir. The fact that Dr Mahathir has basically determined MCA's leadership means that any vote for MCA is now, by extension, a vote for Umno.

During the independence years, MCA was even able to influence the leadership of Umno as a member of Alliance. How Chinese Malaysians could have fallen so far as to give up our own political masters to another race is a shame.

I cannot see anything beyond further marginalisation of non-bumiputeras in this country. In fact, unless something is done, I predict that more and more non-bumiputeras will leave this country rather than vote.

The next generation of MCA leaders are going to be even more inept and subservient than the last o­nes and I cannot see them representing the disenfranchised Chinese.