Barisan Nasional (BN) must be prepared to face future elections on its own strength while avoiding hostility towards other political coalitions, according to Perak MCA chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon.
Mah, who is also MCA deputy president, said voters should have a clear understanding of what BN represents. He said the coalition should position itself as an option for Malaysians seeking progress without extremism, change without chaos and protection of rights without sacrificing national unity.
He described cooperation and political competition as among the biggest challenges facing Malaysia today, particularly amid an uncertain political environment marked by mistrust and fragile relationships between parties.
“Cooperation may happen depending on circumstances, but it cannot blur our identity, principles and responsibility to voters. BN has been proven and tested as a big family that embraces and unites all races in Malaysia,” he said after the Perak MCA GE16 Training Camp today.
Mah stressed that BN must maintain principles that are consistent, transparent and easily explained to the public. Malaysians, he said, deserve to know what the coalition stands for, what it is prepared to do in the interest of stability and which principles it will not compromise.
Perak BN chairman and Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong were also present at the programme.
Mah said another important priority was winning back voters rather than driving them further away through anger. Some Malaysians who previously supported BN had subsequently chosen other parties, but he argued that they should not be automatically labelled or insulted for doing so.
He said these voters could have been disappointed with BN, wanted to explore another political option or had yet to clearly understand what the coalition was offering. Rebuilding their confidence would therefore require persuasion and a clearer political proposition rather than hostility.
With the next general election in focus, political parties are increasingly looking at ways to strengthen their identities and reconnect with voters. For BN, Mah’s remarks suggest that maintaining a distinct political identity will remain important even when cooperation with other coalitions becomes necessary.
On the Perak MCA GE16 Training Camp, Mah said the programme should serve as a turning point for the party to address its weaknesses while consolidating its strengths ahead of the coming electoral battle.
