[Watch] Wee Ka Siong Declares He’d Choose To Be Malaysian Chinese Again In Next Life

Wee’s unapologetic embrace of his Malaysian Chinese heritage offers a refreshing perspective on multicultural identity – even if many in his community might disagree based on their lived experiences.

Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.

In a candid interview making waves across social media, Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) President Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong offered a powerful testament to his cultural identity, declaring he’d “choose to be Chinese Malaysian again” if given another life.

The interview, conducted by Chinese Muslim influencer Lydia Liu for her TikTok channel “Your Shuang Aunty In Malaysia,” has struck a chord with viewers nationwide.

Malaysian Chinese maintained their Chinese heritage remarkably well, Wee reflected, crediting the community’s unwavering commitment to education.

He traced this dedication back to the 15th-century Ming Dynasty immigrants, noting how even illiterate ancestors prioritized building schools upon arriving in Malaya.

Education was the key to a better future, and that vision has paid off.

@shuangaunt 🇲🇾访问马华公会的总会长魏家祥，害怕中国人来马来西亚和你们内卷吗？#你的爽姨 #马来西亚 #华人 #马华 #魏家祥 #马华公会 #中国 #拿督 #中国人在马来西亚 #大马华人 #文化 #汉字 #中文 #种族文化 #访谈 ♬ 原声 – 你的爽姨在大马🇲🇾

The Malaysian Chinese Advantage

What sets Malaysian Chinese apart?

According to Wee, it’s their linguistic versatility.

Malaysian Chinese are language prodigies, he said with pride, describing how Malaysian Chinese typically master multiple dialects – from Hokkien to Cantonese – while steering through Malaysia’s multilingual landscape.

Wee himself exemplifies this versatility, being superbly fluent in Bahasa Malaysia alongside various Chinese dialects.

This linguistic dexterity, he argues, enables communication with 70 per cent of the world.

"Kami perlukan Mandarin speakers sebab kami nak communicate dengan companies dari China." 🙈

Mengikut data, seluruh China ada 300 juta orang sedang belajar bahasa English, ia sama dengan 10 kali ganda populasi seluruh Malaysia. pic.twitter.com/8igKhVZu8q
— Mag (@magmalaya) August 14, 2019

Building Economic Bridges

The interview took an interesting turn when addressing China-Malaysia relations.

Wee emphasized how Malaysian Chinese serve as natural bridges between the two nations, thanks to their unique position at the crossroads of Eastern and Western influences.

We’ve preserved Chinese culture as authentically as mainland China while developing a deep understanding of ASEAN’s multicultural dynamics.

@bonytk31 Malaysia adalah negara pertama di Asia Tenggara menjalin hubungan diplomatik dengan China. #tiktokmalaysia🇲🇾 #tiktokmalaysia❤️🇲🇾❤️ #tiktoksingapore🇸🇬 #china #🇨🇳 #🇨🇳🇨🇳 ♬ nhạc nền – DOU+🇨🇳

Wee envisions strengthened economic ties between Malaysia and China, particularly in technology transfer and business collaboration.

The former transport minister and current Ayer Hitam MP suggested that Malaysian Chinese entrepreneurs are uniquely positioned to facilitate these connections.

With our shared cultural understanding and lack of language barriers, what stops us?

Forever Foreign: The Identity Paradox Malaysian Chinese Can’t Escape

While Wee celebrates Malaysian Chinese as “natural bridges” between nations, many community members report feeling caught between worlds – too Chinese for Malaysia, too Malaysian for China.

Despite contributing to the nation’s development since the Malacca Sultanate era, they continue battling stereotypes about loyalty and belonging.

His optimistic view stands in stark contrast to the experiences of many in the community who regularly face accusations of being “pendatang” (immigrants) or told to “balik Tongsan” (go back to China).

While Wee emphasized the community’s potential role in strengthening bilateral ties, this very connection often becomes ammunition for critics who question Malaysian Chinese allegiance, with some even labelling them as “communist sympathizers.”

Went to tiktok and saw my people getting pissed at her renunciation… kejap halau balik tongsan, bila dah nak blah, marah pulak… 🤷‍♂️

pic.twitter.com/3Pkd6k3LBr
— من النهر إلى البحر (@taqiyuddinbakir) November 24, 2024

Self-Fund, Self-Build, Still Scolded

On what’s stopping the community, the unspoken answer lies in the persistent challenges faced by Malaysian Chinese – from quota systems to property ownership restrictions – that many feel mark them as second-class citizens despite generations of national contribution.

Though Wee praised the community’s commitment to education, Chinese independent schools face constant criticism despite their academic excellence.

These institutions, built and maintained through community funding without government aid, are repeatedly accused of “hindering national unity” – even as they produce some of Malaysia’s top achievers and most well-rounded citizens.

Lepastu bila nak anak enjoy fasiliti best2, sekolahkn kat sekolah cina. Tiger beer judi sponsor, memekak. Deme bukan ada halal haram mcm melayu lol. Gasaklah siapa nak sponsor pn.
— A|H (@abhns20) July 23, 2024

The irony isn’t lost on parents who watch their self-funded schools face political attacks while delivering superior educational outcomes.

These disconnects perhaps explain why his party, once commanding overwhelming Chinese support, now struggles to maintain relevance with just two parliamentary seats.

Teringat bangunan ni. Simbol kuasa politik cina di Malaysia zaman Mahathir. Namun, sokongan hanya berpaksikan kroni cina, towkay keparat. Rela sokong parti rumah kedai. Biliun Madey halalkan pada parti keparat ni, sambil tu kutuk cina miskin curi hak Melayu. Barai, kerala ni. pic.twitter.com/cLrB4fnGbj
— 🇲🇾‎إدوين 🇲🇾 (@SimpletonED) December 18, 2024

Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.