GE 14 | BN's allocation of parliamentary seats for MCA could potentially be reduced to 36, down from a peak of 40 in 2008, in the wake of intense lobbying by aspiring candidates from Umno.

In 2013, MCA had "loaned" three seats - Kuantan, Gelang Patah and Wangsa Maju - to Umno, on grounds that the latter stood a better chance.

Although Gelang Patah does not appear to be in contention, checks with Kuantan and Wangsa Maju Umno leaders indicated that status quo for their two areas was a near certainty.

However, efforts are also underway to pressure MCA into ceding the rights to field candidate for Bandar Tun Razak and Lumut to Umno due to a variety of reasons.

All four are mixed-ethnicity seats with a Malay-majority. They were all won by PKR candidates in 2013...