analysis A MCA divisional leader has warned that "if (the party's) elected representatives fail to solve the toll price hike issue, they will face the consequences in the next general election".

Party president Ong Ka Ting has also reportedly indicated that members "would not be prevented from raising the grouses of the people" after the Puchong Youth division staged an anti-toll price hike protest on Dec 31 last year.

From these untypical developments, it is rather clear that many MCA grassroots members and leaders share the sentiments of Malaysian civil society and supporters of opposition parties over the 20-60 percent toll price hike imposed for five highways from Jan 1.

It is also evident that feelings are running so strongly that pressure has been brought to bear on the top party leaders - they have never been known publicly disagreeing with policies formulated by the Umno-dominated Barisan Nasional government.

The gravity of the political pressure is hardly surprising because grassroots members and leaders are hard hit in a personal capacity as highway users.

Many are also small or medium-scale businessmen who now have to make a decision on whether or not to absorb the higher cost of transportation of raw materials and finished goods.

They are caught between remaining competitive and maintaining their profit margin, especially after petrol prices increased sharply last year due to subsidy reduction for fuel.

This influential group not only forms the MCA power base but also shores up the party's network of community leadership or local hegemony.

Grassroots expectations

Already, those at the MCA grassroots have been infuriated by recent racist statements of top leaders in Umno and its Youth wing, who were deemed to be insensitive to inter-party relations.

The crucial question now is what the top MCA leaders and ministers can do about the issues that adversely affect not only the community's dignity and honour, but also the wallets of those at the grassroots.

Given the fact that opposition parties like DAP, PKR and even PAS have been airing the grievances even more forcefully and consistently, MCA members expect their leadership to do something more specific and concrete to show to their constituents that the party is an influential part of the ruling coalition.

In recent years, MCA has come under fire from non-partisan community leaders as well as public intellectuals over its 'confusion of function'.

Essentially, the question put and still being put - to MCA is whether it is a policy-making component of the government, a public relations front for Umno, a non-political cultural club or a charity foundation.

Seen in this light, the toll hike issue is but a minor reflection of a larger dilemma for MCA: how to be a true policy-making party, and popularly seen to be one, at a time when Umno is increasing acting like a bully.