Is MCA Sabah Still Relevance In Sabah Politic?

The answer is MCA Sabah is no longer relevant in Sabah’s politic.

The main reasons are summarized as follows:-

1. The number 1 and 2 leaders in Sabah are having an open 'in-fighting' for leadership;
2. The relationship with other components in Sabah BN especially UMNO has not been good;
3. There is currently a leadership problem in Sabah State Liaison Office;
4. The State MCA is virtually survived on its own with limited supports from its central headquarter;
5. All the Divisions are virtually dysfunctional despite its physical presence.

The recent reshuffle of State Cabinet is an obvious example that saw MCA remains the same status quo in Sabah despite all the high hopes earlier that it'd expected to step into the higher level of Sabah politic.

The failure of wooing Datuk Raymond Tan into Sabah MCA fold was said to be the one of the causes of discontents, and conflicts. The grassroots are disappointing with the so-called ‘selfishness’ of certain leaders who lacked political ethics, skills and the much needed leaderships. On the Raymond Tan case, the accused local leader even later, when confronted, claimed ignorant and swiftly pushed the responsibility to the President of the party who was one of the negotiators, jointly involved in the negotiation of Raymond’s entry to MCA.

The unsuccessful attempt to bring in Raymond had led to the biggest ever rift between Datuk Paul Kong, the number two leader, and Datuk Edward Khoo, the current HQ-appointed State Liaison Chief. The two are now accusing each other for the problems in Sabah MCA. The morale of MCA has reached it’s lowest since its formation in Sabah 15 years ago.

The failure of Datuk Khoo in clinching a Ministerial post in May, 2009 was the tipping point as the grassroots had been looking forward for the appropriate post as a 'rewarding to the State MCA, after 18 years of struggle in the state with the initial aim of overthrowing the then PBS government. The entry of Sabah MCA was construed as mimicking the working relationship of UMNO and MCA in the semenanjung. On the contrary, the re-entry of PBS in the state cabinet saw its power base grew by the day since 2001, more and more PBS cabinet ministers are appointed, so are the ‘revived Gerakan’ with a minister in the Industrial & Development ministry, and State MCA is merely a decorative partner in the state government.

Prior to 308 general elections in 2008, Sabah MCA had been the 'bridge' for Sabahan for the affairs of Medical, Transportation, Local Government, and Education respectively; unfortunately, all these portfolios are now ‘replaced’ by UMNO Sabah, even though it’s only as Deputy Ministers, the 'systematically' move had definitely sidelined MCA in Sabah. The MCA Sabah has become irrelevant, politically. The recent criticisms on the lacklustre performance of the ministry of health in Sabah on the pace in the purchase of SMC and the reconstruction of QEH was seen as an open shown of disrespect on MCA Sabah and its HQ in the Senemanjung.

Who needs MCA Sabah now even the respective Ministers in the earlier mentioned ministries are headed by MCA?

The problem of MCA in Sabah is not only due to local problems but also very much due to the weakness in its central leadership to manage and support the fellow MCA Sabah adequately and sincerely.

The grassroots in Sabah are all disappointed with the attitudes of central leaderships who only spend time with the local issues during the party election. The local grouses were usually lightly taken, or sometimes ignored. Politic in Sabah is different from the semenanjung that there are more BN components vying for the Chinese supports.

MCA KL must do a drastic reformation in Sabah in order to become relevant again. They simply need to understand the political scenario and situation in order to be ‘alive’ again.