The one thing to say would be “I don’t know whether to laugh or to cry.” But for this, I am saying to myself I don’t know whether “to laugh or to laugh.”

I am talking about MCA President Wee Ka Siong saying his party is ready to go solo “if BN abandons its allies.”

Media reports quoted Wee telling his party’s 70th annual general assembly recently that the MCA is prepared to chart its own path if any party in Barisan Nasional decides to officially form new ties and abandons its current allies in the coalition.

Just what he means by saying what he said. Is he implying a BN component party will or intends to form new ties? And he is implying based on “intel” received?

If what he is suggesting is true, then which party in BN is Wee talking about? And what new tie is about to be formed, if we may know?

I take it that when Wee said “any party in BN,” he was referring to Umno. Not MIC, and definitely not Parti Bersatu Rayat Sabah or PBRS.

That’s the only logical conclusion, as Umno is still the mainstay of the BN depleted coalition it may be.

So, when did Umno say it wanted or aimed to use BN to, in Wee’s words, “officially form new ties and abandon its current allies”?

I, for one, have not heard of such a move. But then who am I compared to the president of a political party which some years ago used to be a force to be reckoned with?

As said earlier, as a long-time politician, Wee might have the “right” intel.

Still, as I see it, Umno is happy and comfy to be part of the Unity Government with PKR and long-time MCA rival, DAP. At least for now and in the “near” future.

Bear in mind it has always been the MCA who previously threatened to leave BN, particularly following the coalition’s defeat in GE14 back in 2018. Many in Umno have never erased that “threat” from their memory bank.

And there were speculations of MCA keen on establishing ties with Bersatu during the uncertain days after GE15 last year and even after the Unity Government was formed.

No evidence of that, I must agree. But then not forgetting, of course, some leaders in MCA acting like the opposition in the name of “constructive criticism” which many an observer see as “attacks on the DAP.”

Having said that, I would like to ask: is Wee getting jittery that Umno might cut deals with Bersatu? Or work again with PAS now that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said he does not rule out PAS joining his government “if policy conditions are accepted” (by the Islamist party).

I see that as a political answer to a question posed during Anwar’s interview with Time magazine a few weeks ago. Hence, I don’t see Umno embracing PAS even in the event Hadi Awang and Co come into the Unity Government in the name of, well, unity. Not anytime soon, notwithstanding all is possible in politics.

As it is rather as current situation goes, is “jittery” the right word to use to describe Wee’s “MCA will go solo” warning?

In Malay, when a person is seen jumping into conclusions and perceived as acting hastily or rushing in making unproven remarks, that person would be seen as “melatah.” Hence, the usual advice to that person would be “jangan melatah” or don’t rush into making conclusions or simply do not over-react.

Even with BN, Wee’s party is in dire straits, having lost majority Chinese support and being turned away by the Malays who voted it during the good old days.

A few days ago, Umno youth head Akmal Saleh told the MCA to dispel any thought of quitting BN and going solo, as “we are family.”

However, The Malaysian Insight quoted political pundits saying MCA will sink without BN. To call a spade a spade, even with BN, Wee’s party is in dire straits, having lost majority Chinese support and being turned away by the Malays who voted it during the good old days. That is putting everything in a nutshell.

Back to Wee’s speech at the MCA AGM. When he spoke of the “possibility” of his party going solo, he also said MCA was ready to be “independent,” even if it meant starting all over again.

Now, isn’t this stating the obvious? Starting all over again is actually the only thing to do. Isn’t it?

Anyway, Wee was reported to have said that most importantly MCA must insist on being a political party. Again, I say he is stating the obvious. What else can MCA be other than a political party?

But according to Wee, MCA must not be a “welfare organization.” That can lead to a list of questions.

A political party needs money to carry out its activities, including “welfare work” for the people, supporters or otherwise.

Or perhaps Wee meant the MCA should decide freely (be independent) and not be a party begging for welfare (read aid/assistance).

I’ll leave it there, lest this article turns into a book.

I’ll end with something which I heard a long time ago as a young boy being a busybody whenever friends of my father gathered at our house for their usual political banter.

That was the time of the Alliance, the predecessor of BN. They would agree that the abbreviation U.M.N.O. stood for You (for U) Must Not Oppose, meaning opposing views would more often not be tolerated in the coalition.

Oppose at your own peril. M.I.C., they had said, was for May I Come? Suggesting that the party would gleefully join in when everything was already in order.

And M.C.A. stood for Money Control All, as they said the party was at the top controlled by towkays.

Come to think of it, were the towkays generous in giving “welfare aid”? Hence, making MCA appear to be a welfare organization?

Anyway, my father’s friends laughed although they had uttered the joke many times before. Yes, they were joking. Perhaps they were not. I don’t know!

(Mohsin Abdullah is a veteran journalist and now a freelancer who writes about this, that and everything else.)