In an interview with FMT, Wee said when MCA and Umno first formalised their political cooperation, his party was given 29% of the seats although the Chinese community only made up 11% of the voters in the nation.

“This means that MCA’s DNA isn’t just to win the support of the Chinese. As our founder Tan Cheng Lock said, MCA fights for the Malays too.

“That means we must think about the nation’s overall interests,” he said when asked if MCA could still remain relevant with the declining population of Chinese in the country compared to Bumiputeras.

The Ayer Hitam MP said while it was true that MCA represented the Chinese community,  what was more important was how Barisan Nasional could promote better harmony among the races and make collective decisions for the benefit of the country.

Wee said each constituency in Johor had its unique demographics, with the many mixed areas reflecting the nation’s plural society.

To ensure Johor prospers, he said the next state government needed to be more stable and adequately reflect the composition of the races in the state.

The transport minister said the Chinese community placed great importance on two key aspects — economic development and education.

“Without generating wealth through economic development, everyone would be in dire straits. There will be fewer jobs, youths will lack employment opportunities, and our nation will not prosper.

“Education is also a very important agenda, and that is why some parents send their children to private schools or colleges.

“When we make progress in education, including vocational education, we will be able to create a labour force that is highly skilled and competitive.”