He said voters could continue backing DAP in stronghold constituencies or in seats where the Chinese community made up more than 70% of voters, while shifting support to Barisan Nasional (BN) in mixed constituencies.
Chua said this approach would help ensure effective checks and balances in both Parliament and the state legislative assemblies.
“If DAP become even more dominant, the Chinese community must be cautious. Some DAP leaders have already become arrogant and assume support from Chinese voters is automatic and guaranteed.
“In some constituencies, candidates were parachuted in and still won easily, to the point where they arrogantly asked, ‘What’s so difficult about winning an election?’
“In the end, these leaders ‘disappeared’,” he said on the Keluar Sekejap podcast hosted by Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan.
Chua, a former health minister, also claimed that some Chinese voters had grown disillusioned with DAP over unfulfilled reform promises, despite the party previously enjoying support levels of up to 80% in certain constituencies.
He added that a growing trend existed among 10% to 15% of Chinese voters who were considering boycotting elections or spoiling their ballots.
However, Chua warned that such a move was risky, as parties that won without the community’s support might later ignore their demands.
BN gaining strength in Johor
Commenting on Johor’s political landscape ahead of the state election, Chua claimed that support among Chinese and Indian voters for BN was on the rise again, largely due to the leadership of Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
He praised Onn Hafiz for adopting a less protocol-driven leadership style, while remaining committed to the welfare of non-Malay communities.
“In the past three years, he channelled RM50 million to the Chinese community. For the Indian community, no (Hindu) temples have been demolished, while 18 plots of land have been allocated alongside RM20 million in aid,” he said.
Chua predicted that BN could gain an additional three to four seats in the upcoming Johor state election, on top of the 40 seats it currently holds.
However, he stressed that such success would depend heavily on close cooperation among BN’s component parties – Umno, MCA and MIC.
“Relations among the component parties must be cordial and they must work as one team.
“MCA will only feel more confident of winning parliamentary seats if it receives strong support from Umno’s grassroots machinery on the ground,” he said.