I am an ethnic Chinese Malaysian professional male. Nevertheless my views differ considerably from Kim Quek and Old Guard .

I have never voted in my life but see no contradiction in the role of the MCA as supposed representatives of the Chinese community but never seeming to speak up o­n their behalf. It is an entirely accurate representation of political reality.

You cannot have an idealistic rights-based ethnic party championing meritocracy or equal treatment for racial minorities in Malaysia because it is simply too threatening for the numerically-dominant ethnic Malay community.

A visibly prostrate MCA as a political party allows individual Chinese voters to vote DAP, PAS, Keadilan or PRM without fear of being scapegoated, at least hopefully not to an even greater extent than has already happened in our collective past.

A visibly pathetic MCA further negates the careerist impulses of ambitious wannabe chauvinist politicians from attempting to burnish their ethno-nationalist credentials via inflammatory racist rhetoric at the expense of the Chinese minority.

In my opinion any general elections in Malaysia where the Chinese community managed to avoid being scapegoated is a good election result, no matter who wins.

A new election result simply means that a new bunch of rascals are going to divide the spoils of this nation in ever more wasteful and unprofitable mega-projects or jingoistic, chest-thumping phallic monuments at the taxpayer's expense.

The imposition of the NEP and steep racial quotas has not been all bad. We are not saddled with the crippling effects of either a victim or entitlement mentality. We do not go around blaming other people for our problems. In this, there is no dishonour.

I believe that over time, the inexorable spread of universal ideals such as equality, meritocracy, achievement-oriented values, egalitarianism, and universal access to education will make ideologies of ethnic subordination obsolete.

The seeming resurgence of MCA's popularity in recent years has nothing to do with its supposed ethnic attractions for the Chinese Malaysian voter. The voter has simply decided that political authoritarianism under Umno is far preferable to the religious authoritarianism of PAS.

I do not think the supposed strength or weakness of the MCA vis a vis Umno has any relevance to the outcome of the next general elections. It is a foregone conclusion.