Perkasa is a thorn in the flesh of MCA. Its leaders often complain of how Umno's tacit support for the ultra-Malay movement, whose leaders appear immune to legal repercussions, is costing the MCA Chinese votes.

And now with the former Election Commission chairperson joining Perkasa is another bitter pill to swallow.

Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman's remarks that he became a member of Perkasa to ensure the continuance of Malay political dominance has left the MCA president disappointed.

NONESpeaking to Malaysiakini, Dr Chua Soi Lek said he expected the former top EC officer to be above such divisive sentiments.

"For Abdul Rashid to join Perkasa, well that is freedom of association. But his rhetoric and reasoning are disappointing.

"As a former senior government officer, he should be able to rise above these issues and not jump into the same bandwagon as Perkasa," Chua added.

Dismissing Abdul Rashid's argument, he said that based on the principle of "one man, one vote", the Malays would continue to be dominant, due to their sheer numbers.

Quoting Lee Kuan Yew, the MCA president said that the former Singapore prime minister in his book pointed out that whichever party comes into power in Malaysia, it would still be a Malay-dominated government.

Furthermore, Chua stressed, the number of seats won by Malay candidates in the two previous general elections had increased.

Chua also expressed concern that since the conclusion of the last general election, there had been an increase in racial, religious and political rhetoric.

"This not good for anybody. We should not be just tolerating, but rather embrace the different races and religions in Malaysia. This is inclusiveness.

"The idea of one race dominating the others should not even come about," he said.

Malay leadership must make a stand

In view of this, the MCA president called on the country's "Malay leadership" to declare that it is above such crippling issues.

"Such a move will reassure everybody that they have a place here in Malaysia, and that we share a common destiny," he said.

However, following the last general election, the ultras in Umno appear to be upping the ante with regard to issues involving race and religion in order to consolidate their power-base.

This followed the dismal performance of BN parties such as MCA and MIC in the general election, despite Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's 1Malaysia clarion call.

Abdul Rashid has also come under fire from outgoing Bersih leader S Ambiga over his statement that the delineation exercises done during his term in office were carried out to ensure that Malays maintained political power.

However, Ambiga argued that the former EC chairperson had acted in favour of BN as opposed to helping the Malays, since the delineation exercises were disadvantageous to PAS as well.

She then challenged the present EC leadership to come clean on whether the ongoing delineation exercise was also premised on this aim.

Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim also expressed disappointment with Abdul Rashid, stating that the Malays had power, but must learn how to use it without abuses.