MCA must face the inconvenient truth (Pt 3)
analysis The role of the government is to serve as a referee, to preserve fair competition, to destroy cartels and monopoly, and promote an open environment where the best can win. In this way, people will have access to good and efficient choices.
MCA, as a party in government, has not done any of this. Instead, it has promoted the formation of a Chinese media monopoly despite strong objections from Chinese Malaysians.
analysis The role of the government is to serve as a referee, to preserve fair competition, to destroy cartels and monopoly, and promote an open environment where the best can win. In this way, people will have access to good and efficient choices.
MCA, as a party in government, has not done any of this. Instead, it has promoted the formation of a Chinese media monopoly despite strong objections from Chinese Malaysians.
Today, the quality of the mainstream media is disgusting; many Malaysians, especially those in the urban areas, have switched to the electronic or new media. They refuse to be insulted daily by lies and fabrication that ‘dumb down’ society.
MCA has gotten itself into a bottleneck, resulting in its rejection. It is a servant of Umno; it could not stand up and be assertive even when some quarters in the Umno leadership displayed absolute arrogance and disrespect
It is not groundless to say that Umno has caused MCA’s decline, but MCA also allowed this to degenerate. Its leaders have blamed the March 8 election results on the winds of change.
The fact is, the writing has been on the wall for a long time, but MCA leaders were too busy trying to silence the alarm bells. In the meantime, its controlled media censored the real voices to the point where the MCA leaders heard only their own talk.
Anxiety and anger caused the votes to swing to anyone who promised an alternative, even those who were nobodies and hardly qualified to be elected representatives. All this goes to show the depth of frustration of the people.
The 12th general election showed the end of race-interest politics. The opposition campaigned on national issues, common concerns that cut across racial lines, and wisely selected candidates to match the ethnic profile of constituencies.
The ‘think national’ on issues and ‘act racial’ in representation strategy worked marvelously to give them a strong showing. This development is another step in establishing a common platform.
Going forward, the political landscape will have a wide range of diversity; there will be gradual fusion of various groups, as should be the way. Each political party will need to find a new niche and to position itself to get a solid base of support.
The next question is, if MCA can be reinvented and how. It could remain a Chinese-based party, but dedicate itself to advancing Chinese competitiveness and culture, and restyle itself to lead the development of the community. But it could also open membership to Malaysians who speak Mandarin or who are literate in Chinese, to maintain its uniqueness.
If it is to regain support, MCA must show that it can govern effectively and seriously. It must illustrate that it has the vision, imagination and skill to bring about prompt results. If the issue of temporary teachers at the Chinese primary schools remains unresolved for 20 years, it is not an issue of policy, it is one of incompetence.
The party must also have the ability to work with other ethnic groups, especially Malays - from Umno, PKR and PAS - without compromising its own position. By championing the national interest, it will take care of the Chinese interest. By abandoning the Chinese interest, it will eliminate the bad taste of racial chauvinism and the zero-sum stance in its political discourse.
New leadership
Who can lead MCA to a new dawn? Are the leaders and the membership base of 1.2 million able to let go of old habits and emerge from the past culture of loyalty and reward? Are they capable of adopting a new paradigm?
How many of leaders and members have the passion and idealism to build a new MCA, to regain its relevance? Can they inspire the young, the talented and the passionate who harbour great idealism for the country?
The MCA leaders who undertake this important task must have 360-degree satellite vision; they must have the qualities of statesmen, not politicians; they need persistence, resolution, conviction, charm and personality to rally people together; and must be assertive and firm whenever the need arises.
They must have the moral courage to say the right thing at the right time to the right people; persuading MCA’s partners in the BN that doing the right thing is the only way to build the nation.
With its massive resources and extensive ground organisation, the MCA is well positioned to meet the challenges of the new era.
Malaysians yearn for democratic development and good governance; we look forward to a credible two party system.
To ensure that March 8 was not the beginning of an end, MCA must face up to an inconvenient truth - that it must reposition itself to regain relevance and value.
FOONG WAI FONG is an anak Malaysia based in Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur, founding director of Megatrends Asia, and author of four best selling books, ‘Megatrends Asia’ (with John Naistbitt), ‘The New Asian Way’ (Chinese and English), ‘Mr Prime Minister, We Have to Talk’ (in Chinese) and ‘Culture is Good Business’ (in Chinese and voted Top 10 Best books by Commonwealth Magazine of Taiwan).
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.