MCA president Liow Tiong Lai’s misplaced confidence that people would recognise the MCA logo.
The Sept 8 Balakong by-election will mark the first time in almost 60 years that MCA will be fielding its own logo of a 14-point yellow star against a deep blue background.
It will also be a historic outing for Pakatan Harapan, as it will be the first time the coalition runs under its own red banner since receiving approval from the Registrar of Societies last May.
Malaysiakini took both to the constituency and found that all 17 voters polled – of various ethnicities, age groups and genders – could instantly identify Harapan’s text-based logo.
But with just under two weeks of the campaign remaining, only the Chinese voters could immediately identify the MCA logo.
Several non-Chinese voters could recognise the logo from the many flags hung around the constituency, but others were left stumped.
When shown a black-and-white version of the MCA logo – as it will appear on ballot papers – food vendor Ila Mohd Yusuf wondered if it belonged to a state.
“Is it a flag for a state? An old Malaysian flag?” she asked when met at her stall in Bandar Tun Hussein Onn.
Burger stall owner Hafiz Isa, 34, was also uncertain what the logo was.
“I am not sure what logo this is, but I have seen a lot of it around here,” he said, pointing at one such flag.
Similarly, 26-year-old restaurant owner Nazrin Syed Mohd Bukhari said he recognised the logo, but struggled to make the association to MCA.
Harapan president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had previously said that the coalition would be using the three-week campaign window for the Balakong and Seri Setia by-elections to familiarise voters with its logo.
MCA president Liow Tiong Lai, meanwhile, said the decision to ditch the BN logo it had used for decades was part of a series of reforms the party was undertaking following the coalition’s unprecedented loss in the 14th general election.
Liow also said he was confident people would recognise the MCA logo due to the party’s long record of service to Malaysians of all races.
“It won’t be a problem, people will know our logo from MCA’s struggle,” he previously said.
DAP’s Wong Siew Ki will face off MCA’s Tan Chee Teong in a straight fight for the Chinese-majority state seat.
The by-election was called following the death of its DAP incumbent Eddie Ng in a car accident on Jul 20. – Malaysiakini