Lim Kit Siang is contesting in Gelang Patah, Johor, and the result is obvious – he will win – because the Chinese voters everywhere in the country will make sure he wins.
Lim, the owner of DAP, a chauvinistic Chinese party that champions all cause Chinese, will win wherever he stands, as the Chinese would not let him lose, they would not let him out of Malaysia’s political scene.
It is best that MCA does not field its president Chua Soi Lek against Lim because the odds are against Chua, despite Chua being from Johor himself.
It is common knowledge that the Chinese will not allow Lim to fail because they need an opposition voice in Parliament, a strong voice that can question and raise issues, of course, all that matters to them.
Lim does not need to service the constituency like other MPs or assemblymen because to the Chinese voters, Lim just need to keep the ruling party on its toes and keep reminding the ruling party of Chinese issues.
That’s his job laid down by the Chinese community regardless of class or creed…Lim must be kept alive and kicking…Lim must be survive and put in Dewan Rakyat no matter what it takes.
After all, he is the voice of the Chinese in Parliament since the 70s and the constituents where he contested have never complained about his service because he does need to do that.
And Chua may find himself in an uphill battle to defeat Lim because the Chinese, after the 2008 political tsunami are still not confident of MCA’s ability to champion their cause.
Post 2008 tsunami saw the ruling party softening and accommodating the Chinese demands more which at times slighted the Malays, particularly the Malay business community (if truly there is such group).
But the reality is Chua needs a lot of thinking…not much on ideology and all those political idealism…it is a race base thinking on part of Chinese voters.
Chua needs to face the reality and its better Chua does not confront Lim head-on on this issue because DAP has managed to implant into the minds of Chinese voters they need to have a voice in Parliament, never mind if other candidates from the party is wipe-out.
Given such situation, we can now see DAP planning to be the dominant party in the opposition pact as it flexes its muscle in determining which seats it wants and which seats it gives to PKR.
Not touching on seats contested by PAS, DAP is taking away from PKR seats that are Chinese majority and with the higher chances of winning, which angered PKR members and supporters.
DAP is also fielding leaders of NGOs that champion any cause so long as the NGOs are popular and the leaders have some followings.
A clear example is Wong Tak who champions the green environment cause, who has followings mostly among the young Chinese and who has proven to have no fear of the law like he pledged to burn down the Lynas plant.
Now its up to MCA to ‘find a niche’ to win the hearts and minds of Chinese voters, not only if Chua face-off with Lim but also in other seats where MCA will be facing a one-to-one battle with DAP in most Chinese majority seats.
