JOHOR BAHRU: While Chinese Malaysians may be disappointed with Democratic Action Party (DAP), their votes may not go back to Barisan Nasional, says Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong.

Some voters may get sick of politics and decide not to vote.

In an exclusive interview with Sin Chew Daily, Wee said the Johor polls is no longer about changing state government or promote a new political coalition.

“Voters are able to compare the performances of various political alliances at state and federal levels,” he said, adding that Pakatan Harapan was also once the ruling government.

Wee claimed that Pakatan Harapan had made empty promises that disillusioned many voters.

Citing an example, he said the abolishment of toll charges promised by PH ended up with lower toll charges over a longer concession period.

“The National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) loans were supposed to be waived but ended with defaulters being pursued. Subsidies for housewives never materialized. The Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high speed rail project was scrapped and prices of palm oil affected by poor relations with major importers China and India.

“PH wanted to better its predecessors but reinstated projects which had been cancelled. Take the train project as example, they did not save the construction cost but scaled down the scope of the project,” he said.

Wee said he completed the negotiations on the Johor-Singapore Rapid Transit System project, not PH as claimed by Johor DAP chairman Liew Chin Tong.

“Other issues – the third national car, flying car project, abolishment of death penalty, drastic drop in allocations for Tunku Abdul Rahman College and others were carried out without seeking mandate from the people, but the PH government just blamed the previous BN administration,” he said.

Many were unaware of the decisions made by the Ministry of Education under Pakatan Harapan to include seni khat in the curriculum of vernacular schools.

Wee said MCA would not be complacent with its achievement in Melaka polls but would work harder to win more seats in the upcoming Johor election.

With many fresh faces fielded and an average age of 40 for its 15 candidates, Wee hoped MCA would win more seats this time.

He said his party would look forward to a bigger mandate from the voters to be a part of the Johor government.

“We will be able to voice up for the people and have more bargaining power if we have the support of the Chinese,” he said.