Options appear limited for the MCA as it gears up for a pow-wow today to decide its position on two recent public rallies that cast an unwelcome spotlight on a Malaysia marred by politics and ethnic tensions.

Observers say the Barisan Nasional (BN) party, the second-largest component in the ruling pact, can no longer afford to hide in the shadows of its partners, especially with Umno progressively leaning further right.

“To survive as a political party, MCA really has to reexamine its stand vis-a-vis Umno’s rather racialist stance,” Dr Oh Ei Sun of Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies told Malay Mail Online.

“They need to be brave enough to stand up to Umno to the extent that even if Umno withdraws support within those (MCA) constituencies, MCA doesn’t have to worry a lot because they will still be appointed to some senator position and so on,” he added.