KUALA LUMPUR: Despite losing Chinese votes in recent elections, changes in the country’s political landscape have not landed MCA in a state of inferiority, says its president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong.

“MCA will not gauge its performance based on electoral votes,” said Wee.

As a Chinese-majority party, MCA will continue to defend the rights of Chinese Malaysians and advocate diversified development for the country.

“No one can refute MCA’s role in nation-building, its involvement in the government, and in defending the people’s right to learn the Chinese language,” he said at a joint interview with local Chinese language media where he also shared the role played by MCA in the Unity Government, its political position, as well as relationship with DAP.

“As a Chinese-based party, we are responsible for the defense of Chinese Malaysians’ basic rights, and our commitment in defending Chinese language education in Malaysia has never changed,” he said.

Since 1999, MCA has helped more than 100 Chinese primary schools in the country — new schools have been built while under-enrolled rural schools are relocated to new residential areas.

“We understand that it is our responsibility as a Chinese-based political party to defend the fundamental rights of Chinese Malaysians,” he asserted.

MCA is the ambassador for racial ties, Wee said, as in the eyes of the Malays, the party has proven that for decades, it has been living in harmony with all races in the country.

“MCA will voice up whenever someone makes some radical remarks, regardless whether he is from the opposition or the government,” he said.

“We are a Chinese-based party. If we do not talk about matters concerning the Chinese people, who else will?” he asked.

Since independence, not a single political party in the country can survive on its own.

While many parties are multiracial in nature, their core lies with a designated ethnic group, he said.

Taking reality into consideration, Wee said political parties are inclined to win the support of a single ethnic group in a parliamentary constituency despite their multiracial nature, as they rely on a specific race or religion to win a seat.

MCA, MIC and Umno were all established as single-race parties, but these parties could negotiate among themselves, culminating in the formation of a multiracial political alliance.

Hence, MCA is unable to ignore the reality of working with other parties in an election.

Wee stressed that MCA will not be a “yes man” in the Unity Government but will offer constructive criticism and suggestions.

Although MCA is not represented in the Unity Government cabinet, it is playing a supervisory role and checks and balances in parliament, Wee concluded.