Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid said she respected the former MCA president’s views but believed politics today could no longer be built on sentiments over who is more dominant or “big-headed”.
She said voters assessed elected representatives based on their service record and sincerity in addressing grassroots issues, regardless of race.
“As a Malay MP in a Chinese-majority constituency, I have seen firsthand that voters judge based on work, presence, and sincerity. They want representatives who go to the ground and speak up for the people, regardless of race,” she told FMT.
Syerleena also said the unity government should be driven by integrity and sound policies rather than fears over the dominance of any particular party.
“I do not see politics as a competition to ‘own’ the support of any race. My focus is on ensuring that everyone in Bukit Bendera feels heard and represented,” she said.
In an episode on the Keluar Sekejap podcast, Chua had urged the Chinese community to vote strategically in the next general election to prevent DAP from becoming too dominant.
Chua, a former health minister, claimed that some DAP leaders had already become arrogant, assuming that support from Chinese voters was automatic and guaranteed.
He said voters could continue backing DAP in stronghold constituencies or seats where the Chinese community made up more than 70% of voters, while shifting support to Barisan Nasional (BN) in mixed constituencies.
He said this approach would help ensure effective checks and balances in both Parliament and the state legislative assemblies.
Kampar MP Chong Zhemin said DAP leaders remained committed to a people-centric and service-oriented approach as the core of the party’s struggle, regardless of voters’ race or background.
He claimed that MCA had failed to function effectively as an ally within the unity government as it preferred attacking the current administration.
“It has taken a more confrontational and critical approach towards the government, to the extent that it appears more opposition-like than the opposition itself.
“The people are tired of MCA’s political rhetoric. Voters, especially the Chinese community, should continue supporting DAP and Pakatan Harapan to ensure stability and prevent the country from slipping back into a hung Parliament like in 2020,” he said.