The summer of discontent, for UMNO & MCA that is

For those living in the northern hemisphere of the globe, they would be enjoying the season of summer at this time of the year.  Many people will be taking their summer holidays to go the beaches and bask in the sun.  However, in Malaysia, as the GE13 is getting closer by the day, one party is definitely feeling the 'summer of discontent' with its own community, MCA; and from its own backer, UMNO.  Taken from the Malaysiakini, here are some postings from its readers whose comments were made unreservedly.

Quigonbond: This is an interesting change in dynamics, but it will be disastrous for Umno.

In order for them to beat back DAP, both their paradoxical propaganda need to work together - first, for the Malays, a vote for DAP is a vote for Christian state, and to the non-Malays, a vote for DAP is a vote for Islamic state.

It will never happen. If they secure Malay votes, they will lose the non-Malay votes. If they secure the non-Malay votes, they will lose the Malay votes.

Racial politics is Umno's forte. Chances are, the folks in the same constituency will exchange notes and see Umno propaganda for the bullshit that it is.

Descending into a race-neutral contest, they will be thrashed. As for MCA grassroots feeling slighted about their constituencies being lent to Umno, it was simply a matter of time before this day arrived.

Either they get defeated, or they don't contest at all. The result is the same.

Samuel Ng: Even before a single vote has been cast, MCA has lost one state seat and four parliamentary seats.

Ferdtan: That is the problem MCA leaders set for themselves many years ago. Although they are Chinese-based party, they dare not face the Chinese voters.

They, especially the top leaders, prefer only to stand in Malay-majority seats. That made them winnable with the Malay votes.

In the past, there was not a problem. Umno can afford to be generous to their junior partner MCA as Umno have sufficient winnable seats for themselves.

However, now it is a different scenario. First, they have no confidence in MCA at all. They don't believe that they can deliver the votes to win seats to retain Putrajaya.

Secondly, Umno are also not confident themselves to win enough seats in their traditional areas without having to take additional ones from MCA.

So it is BN's (or Najib Razak's) dilemma. Let MCA contest they may lose, but if Umno were to contest in their seats (they may look stronger) they may face wrath and rebellion from the grassroots MCA members.

Either way, it is doomsday for BN.

Anonymous #55462178: MCA deserves the bullying. After all, they have been bending over backwards to please their Umno master. Serve you right for being unprincipled.

Anonymous #44199885: Once loaned and Umno wins, it is all over for MCA. They become totally irrelevant.

Why should Umno hand the seat back to the MCA which does not have the guts nor gumption to face the electorate?

This is the death knell for the MCA and so cleverly being manoeuvred by Umno. So much for being an independent voice in BN.

Maybe with this, Umno will after the elections represent all races and no need for the other component parties, except the non-racial ones in Sabah and Sarawak.

Is Gerakan loaning seats to Umno as well?

Anonymous_4031: MCA is at a crossroad; and the uprising is coming from the ground.

Unless the leadership is able to satisfy the grassroots, MCA will lose more seats than earlier predicted by MCA's Lee Hwa Beng, who said the party may win 5-10 parliamentary seats.

There is no such thing as a "winnable candidate" or an "unwinnable candidate". Much depends upon the grassroots.

Anonymous #85701391: If the MCA president lacks the support of the Chinese community to become a candidate and his ‘kakis' (supporters) are not happy to loan any seat to Umno, why not consider enlisting help from Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali and run him as MCA candidate.

MCA will end up being on par with PAS, which has put a non-member, non-Muslim and non-Malay as a candidate.

Good Men: Umno wants to turn GE13 into a racial election. The best advice to all rakyat is keep calm and don't react to Umno's baiting.

They are aiming to stir up racial sentiment and it is our responsibility as citizens to not allow them to succeed. Malaysians of all races must rise up and reject racial manipulation and kick out Umno once and for all.

Not Convinced: With PKR and PAS taking the fight to Umno in the Malay heartlands, long considered Umno's stomping ground, the ruling party had opted for a more racist and divisive stand so as to hold on to its traditional supporters. It also sought the help of Perkasa and other right-wing NGOs.

This however resulted in non-Malays deserting BN in droves, particularly MCA, with the party losing whatever support it has left. So ironically, it's Umno which is killing MCA.

ADJ: If MCA stands in their seats, they will lose. If MCA gives away their seats, they will never get it back. Checkmate.