Responding to MCA’s preference to dissolve BN rather than leave, Praba Ganesan, the executive director of NGO Kuasa, said the ethnic Chinese party likely felt attached to the coalition which it co-founded with Umno and MIC 45 years ago.

“Since the beginning of BN, MCA has been the most senior partner after Umno,” he told FMT.

“It feels a sense of ownership towards BN. It believes BN is synonymous with it. It’s like, if there is no MCA, how can there be BN?”

But despite MCA still “clinging” to BN, he said, it was also showing other political parties that it was open to new possibilities.

“MCA is pretty much saying that BN doesn’t work anymore.”

In its annual general meeting on Sunday, MCA passed a resolution authorising the party’s central committee to begin the process of dissolving BN and forming a new coalition.

This followed speculation that the party might leave BN like former component members Gerakan and MyPPP.

Sarawak-based parties Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party, Parti Rakyat Sarawak and Parti Demokratik Progresif have also left BN.

Political analyst Tang Ah Chai said MCA appeared to lack the determination to decide one way or another in the matter.

“MCA has nothing to lose now, yet I cannot understand why it cannot make this tough decision like Gerakan did,” he told FMT.

He voiced disappointment with MCA for not being bold enough to quit, acknowledging however that if it does, it may not retain the support of the Malay and Indian communities.

“MCA says it fights for the Chinese, but as we saw from the general election results, the Chinese voters were not with it.

“This could be a threat to the party because it does not show the people why it deserves the support of all races.”