Down to business: Dr Wee (behind podium) addressing members during the Sabah MCA convention in Kota Kinabalu.
Dr Wee: Focus is on winning seats, electoral alliances can wait
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah MCA is focused on building grassroots support as it gears up for the 17th state election, stating that it is premature to forecast possible electoral alliances.
“Winning seats is more important. What comes after will be a natural process,” said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong here yesterday during the Sabah MCA convention.
Dr Wee highlighted how two political parties that were once rivals could now sit together in the unity government, indicating that such alignments could continue in the future.
“Eventually, we will see how Barisan Nasional finds its partners. Whether we compete first and then use the democratic process to determine when there are enough seats to proceed, remains to be seen.
“It is too early to predict anything, but what is important is that we focus on working on the ground,” Dr Wee added.
Internal discussions between Sabah MCA and other Barisan Nasional parties, including Umno, were ongoing, he said.
“These deliberations will remain within the Barisan family for now, with decisions on partnerships or strategies yet to be finalised,” he added.
Apart from MCA, Sabah Barisan consists of Sabah Umno, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah, and MIC.
Despite the fact that the Sabah political landscape has changed significantly since the last state election in 2020, Dr Wee said the party was prepared for anything and ready to act.
The focus within Barisan remained on teamwork and cooperation, he said.
“It is important to see how internal discussions within Barisan unfold. Sabah has traditionally been granted autonomy, and I believe Sabah Barisan is well-positioned to navigate these political waters.”
Dr Wee also addressed the unique composition of Sabah’s electorate and the challenges posed by changing demographics.
“Sabah is truly unique, and its diversity, both in heritage and communities, is what makes the state special. Our focus is unity, and MCA is committed to working with various groups to ensure this remains our strength,” he said.
While acknowledging that MCA was not the only Chinese-based party in the state, Dr Wee expressed confidence that Sabah MCA’s uniqueness would set them apart from other parties.
“There is a small Chinese community in Sabah, making up around nine to 10% of the overall population, but I feel Sabah is the only place where people from all backgrounds can work together as one. I believe Sabahans understand that unity is the key to Sabah’s success,” he said
Dr Wee also downplayed concerns over party-hopping, which has been a significant issue in Sabah politics in recent years.
He noted that although two or three prominent members had left MCA, the party’s structure remained intact, with a presence in all 25 parliamentary constituencies across the state.
“We will continue to monitor political developments in both Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia. However, at this stage, it’s still too early to predict outcomes or finalise any strategies,” he added.
