The mood at this year's MCA annual general meet was clearly on the upcoming general election.

Understandably, there was a lot of issues to be dealt with by Chinese-based party in the BN, amidst a predicted huge swing of Chinese votes for the opposition as suggested in voters' opinion polls.

That is why MCA president Ong Ka Ting's speech this morning addressed the top concerns of the Chinese community - from the need to fight crime, upholding the constitutional spirit in the face of Islamisation and for more economic opportunity for Chinese businessmen.

Despite having spent about a week to write the speech himself, there were several occasions when the party president departed from his written text to elaborate and stress his point.

One example was when he asked the government to adopt a "win-win" formula to allow the Chinese community to play a bigger role in the nation's economic development, and award government concession to multi-racial joint venture.

"We have to recognise the Malaysian Chinese today are no longer wealthy (as it was perceived). There are many who live the new villages and those who live in the city are merely employees," he said to loud applause from the 1,787 delegates.

"We believe the BN is the channel for us to solve the problem and we are confident in the premier's leadership," he said while turning to look at the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who sat on the stage.

As Ong walked back from the rostrum after the speech, Abdullah took his hand and rose their hands together in unity, again winning another round of loud applause from the floor.

Fears in MCA

Federal Territories deputy party chief Alex Chua said there were only two words to describe the presidential address - "very good". This, he said, was because it truly represented the current sentiments of the Chinese community.

But what truly represented the sentiments within the MCA came in the second part of Ong's speech.

The party president took pains to explain at length to his delegates, so that they in turn could convey it to the ground - that the community has to be united in supporting BN so its bargaining power in the ruling coalition will not be reduced.

He cited the example in the 1999 general election when Umno faced serious setback in the aftermath of the sacking of deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, but the Chinese were loyal to BN and Umno candidates were voted in with their votes.

"It is with that, since 2000, it had been easier for MCA leadership to fight for the Chinese community's rights," he said, listing out a series of programmes which the community had benefitted then.

"But look at the 1969 election when Chinese-based opposition parties won big, MCA's power in the government was seriously undermined. The strategic posts for the Chinese leaders were gone and a lot of policies not favourable the community were implemented," he said.

Ong also claimed that voting for the opposition, especially its main rival DAP, would only cause "racial tension" as it will put the "Malays in the ruling coalition and Chinese in opposition".

It was clear that Ong had in mind the fact that the Chinese votes had swung to the opposition in last year's Sarawak state election and in the three by-elections held this year.

On top of that, its main rival - opposition DAP - is in an upbeat mood in gearing up for the next election and has successfully recruited a number of top professionals, paving way for an expected tough fight in the coming poll.

Seeing these, Ong clearly wants to put things right by getting the votes back into the BN bank.

"The (fear) sentiment is shared by all with or without the president addressing that (in the speech)," said Youth leader Gan Ping Sieu when asked on whether the presidential address showed the party was worried ahead of the anticipated general election.

Promises not fulfilled

The delegates were also in an anxious mood on whether MCA could repeat its last election's performance, although most of them pointed the finger to the "racist statements" made by Umno leaders as the reason behind the reduced support from the Chinese.

Said Kedah delegate Lo Thian Chooi: "I am very worried that the BN leaders make such remarks and have policies which are against the Chinese community. As a result of that, the MCA came under attack and was made a sacrificial lamb."

Perak delegate Heng Seai Kie put the party's problem in another perspective.

Referring to the Chinese voting tendency, she argued: "We know in our hearts that the issue boils down to the fact that there is a gap between what was promised (by the government) and what materialised.

"For example, the prime minister has vowed to fight against corruption but on the other hand, we have the Zakaria (Mat Deros) issue," she said in referring to the Port Klang state assemblyperson who had stolen media limelight for building palatial mansion without approval.

If waving of the Federal Constitution at the Youth's meeting yesterday was about sending signals to component parties, today's meeting at the parental body was about sending message to the Chinese community to vote for the party and the 'consequences' of not doing it.

But that support possibly could only come when MCA is like what Federal Territories delegate Lee Boon Kok said - that the party should really stand up against its big brother in BN on issues affecting the community.