A brief history of MCA

The Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) was formed on Feb 27, 1949, with Tun Tan Cheng Lock as the first president.

In 1952, MCA and United Malays National Organisation (Umno) formed an Alliance to contest the Kuala Lumpur municipal elections on Feb 26. The Alliance received overwhelming support and won 94 seats out of the 124 contested. MCA won 24 out of 43 seats contested.

In 1955, the first general election was held on July 27 and the Alliance won 51 out of the 52 seats of which MCA had 15 seats.

In 1964, the second general election saw the Alliance securing a landslide victory. MCA won 27 out of the 33 seats contested.

The third general election was held on May 10, 1969. MCA suffered its most severe setback, only retaining 13 of the 33 parliamentary seats contested and losing control of the Penang state government to Gerakan.

The May 13, 1969 racial riots broke out in Kuala Lumpur. MCA reconsidered its earlier decision and rejoined the government.

In the ninth general election in 1995, MCA won 30 seats in Parliament and 70 seats in the state assemblies.

In the 2008 general election, MCA won 15 parliamentary and 32 state seats.

MCA’s performance deteriorated further in the 2013 general election, winning only seven of the 37 parliamentary seats and 11 of the 90 state seats it contested. MCA refused to join the federal Cabinet after the 2013 general election.

In the 2018 general election, MCA suffered its worst-ever defeat, as it lost all but two state seats it contested, and only managed to retain one parliamentary seat with Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong winning in Ayer Hitam, Johor.