KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Sin Chew Daily) — MCA, the largest political party representing the Chinese community, continues to play its role but is ignored by government officers, says vice president Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker, who is also deputy national unity minister.

Racial polarization has aggravated after Chinese Malaysians opted to support opposition parties in the 2018 elections, he said.

MCA did not secure even 60% of support from the Chinese community which led to government officers telling MCA: "Chinese community wants DAP.”

In the past, prime ministers, menteris besar and government officers would take into consideration the views presented by MCA, he added.

The Chinese New Year standard operating procedures released by the government earlier became a controversial issue as some of the Chinese customs were not observed by the SOPs.

Ti said the Chinese should not continue to deceive themselves.

"They do not support MCA but expect the party to deliver. MCA leaders are sandwiched between the community and government.

"Currently, MCA does not secure sufficient support from the Chinese community," he said.

Ti said the Chinese would need a party representing their interests to voice their views.

Taking a swipe at the DAP, Ti said DAP, which secured strong support from the Chinese, could not have elections for local councils after winning the election.

He said DAP claimed that the power of holding elections for local councils was under the federal government when it won the state elections. However, after winning federal powers, DAP said the sentiment of Malays ought to be taken into consideration.

"This proves that DAP is not committed in holding local council elections as pledged. MCA admits it is unable to do so. For sure MCA would be able to deliver more if it won 42 parliamentary seats like DAP. The same goes for the prime minister who only has 13 MPs (who won the 2018 elections on Bersatu ticket) with him," he said.

Ti said the spirit of consensus during Barisan Nasional had long been marginalized by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Even when Dr Mahathir led the Pakatan Harapan coalition, he refused to honor election pledges and DAP was not respected as a member of the ruling government.

Ti is of the view that the current government under Perikatan Nasional takes a more moderate approach in ruling the country.

MCA has been playing the role of checks and balances in the coalition, especially against Umno.

"Prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and MCA are in the same boat. We are in the ruling coalition but not powerful. The strong parties are Umno, PKR, PAS and the DAP.

"The strong ones dominate. This is political reality," he said.

Ti also said then MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik took no pay leave to boycott cabinet meeting as a form a protest when the economic policy was proposed to be drafted according to the ratio of ethnic groups in the country. Dr Ling managed to stop the implementation of such policy under the Barisan Nasional government.

"MCA is against extremism and the party has been defending Chinese primary schools, Chinese customs, traditions and the learning of Chinese language as mother tongue. Unlike the neighboring countries implementing assimilation policies, Chinese cultures and traditions are well preserved in Malaysia," he said.