Their parents are MCA members, having joined the Chinese party many decades ago, believing in its values and service to the Malaysian Chinese community.

But the children, YY Ng and Woon King Chai, as well as their siblings are not members, neither are they attracted to the senior party in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, nor do they identify with its work.

Believing in a two-party system, non-racial political entities, free and fair elections, as well as wanting better education and security, they have never asked MCA for help in their entire lives, nor do they plan to do so.

…”Both parties have changed their respective leadership into a younger generation of leaders,” said analyst Dr Oh Ei Sun, referring to MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, 54, and his Gerakan counterpart Datuk Mah Siew Keong, who is two years younger.

“However, quite a few among them are still perceived by many as having self-interests and ultimately kowtowing to Umno, which does not help in boosting their popularity among Chinese and urban voters,” said the senior fellow with Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.