Liow sees silver lining in MCA’s defeat in Balakong by-election
SEREMBAN: MCA had anticipated its defeat in the Balakong byelection, says MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
However, he said, the defeat had done little to weaken MCA as Balakong had been a DAP stronghold for more than two terms.
MCA, he said, was satisfied with the by-election results as there was an increase in voter support among the Chinese community for MCA.
He said Chinese voter support for MCA rose to 12.6 per cent compared with the 7.3 per cent garnered in the 14th General Election (GE14), even though the voter turnout in Balakong was only 43 per cent.
“W e o btained 1,133 votes in the by-election compared with the 1,033 votes in GE14.
“MCA candidate Tan Chee Teong also did not lose his de- posit, compared with others in GE14. This shows that the Chinese support is returning to MCA,” he said after officiating the Negri Sembilan MCA annual assembly yesterday.
Present were his deputy, Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong and Youth chief Datuk Chong Sin Woon.
Liow said he believed Pakatan Harapan candidate Wong Siew Ki won because voters were still giving PH a chance to fulfil their manifesto.
On whether MCA would forge a cooperation with Pas as part of the opposition, Liow said: “MCA is ready to accept anyone who supports us. This doesn’t mean there is a cooperation between MCA and Pas, as claimed by DAP. That is untrue. DAP is saying this because they had a big problem with Pas and is now transferring it to MCA,” he said.
MCA, he said, was effecting change for the party’s future and to ensure that it remained relevant.