The Malaysian Insight

JOHOR MCA still hopes for a chance to contest the Tanjung Piai by-election, but is well aware that the new Umno-PAS pact will likely upend its plans.

Local leaders of the ethnic Chinese party, which is part of Barisan Nasional, believe that the parliamentary seat’s former MP, Wee Jeck Seng, has a decent shot, given his popularity and two-term track record.

But the reality is that there’s little in the party’s favour that would see it given the opportunity to contest the seat again.

One, MCA’s disastrous performance in the general election last year, where it only managed to retain the Ayer Hitam seat.

Second, the Umno-PAS pact has worked in by-elections this year, even before the Malay-Muslim parties officially signed their unity charter.

The parties worked towards victory in a trial run in the Cameron Highlands by-election with an Umno candidate.

Now, Tanjung Piai, which fell vacant following the death of Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Md Farid Md Rafik on Saturday, is Umno and PAS’ chance to justify their formal cooperation to grassroots members who remain sceptical.

It will also be their chance to show Pakatan Harapan that they are a force to be reckoned with in the next elections.

Johor MCA deputy chief Lim Pay Hen said the party’s grassroots still want the seat, but in the spirit of BN give and take, will reach a consensus with the coalition’s other components, namely Umno and MIC.

“Wee Jeck Seng served Tanjung Piai for many years. However, MCA leaders still have to consult the other BN members.”

He said the grassroots, dispirited after the party’s thrashing in the 14th general election, are eager to show their mettle again with the opportunity to recapture an MCA seat.

The time is right as more voters are becoming disillusioned with the PH government, he said.

“Morale has returned to MCA members, and there is cohesion. Johor MCA is ready to go all out for this by-election.”

But, the local Umno division said it should be given the seat, where Malays form 57% of the electorate, Chinese (42%) and Indians (1%), based on the 2018 electoral roll.

Tanjung Piai Umno division chief Jefridin Atan said Malays here only agreed to let MCA have the seat because the decision was made by the BN national leadership.

He said BN lost the seat last year because voters rejected MCA.

Lim, however, considers Umno’s chest-thumping as nothing new, adding that it is normal for local Umno leaders to eye seats that other BN components lost.

Jeck Seng, the Tanjung Piai MCA division chief, told The Malaysian Insight that Umno makes the same request for every election.

MCA’s bid for the seat will have to be discussed after party president Wee Ka Siong returns from abroad, he said.

The Tanjung Piai seat, carved out from the Pontian constituency in 2003, had seen straight fights between MCA and DAP until last year, when PAS entered the fray, making it a three-cornered battle. DAP gave way to Bersatu, Farid’s party, to represent PH in the contest.

Former MCA president Ong Ka Ting was the first BN candidate to contest the seat in 2004, holding it for a term until Jeck Seng took over, winning two terms.

Last year, Jeck Seng lost to Farid by a mere 524 votes. The latter got 21,255 votes in the seat with 53,528 voters.

PAS candidate Nordin Othman received 2,962 votes, and combined with Jeck Seng’s 20,731 for a total of 23,693 votes, this gives the Umno-PAS pact more than a 2,000-vote margin based on last year’s data.

Another Johor MCA leader, who did not want to be named, said Jeck Seng is still popular because he continues to do social work in the constituency despite losing the seat.

The local leader said MCA lost about 2% of Chinese votes last year, while PAS split the vote. He also felt that Jeck Seng lost Malay votes because he opposed proposals to implement shariah law.

Another senior local MCA leader said the party should not be too optimistic about being given the Tanjung Piai seat again, as Umno and PAS will be grabbing the chance to test their alliance under their formal charter.

“They (Umno and PAS) are absolutely going to go for this seat, and will want MCA to step aside. It will continue their winning streak since the Cameron Highlands by-election.”

Umno and PAS have won all the by-elections in the peninsula this year, first in Cameron Highlands, then in Semenyih and Rantau. – September 25, 2019.