KUALA LUMPUR: The severe defeat it suffered in the 14th General Election (GE14) has given MCA the opportunity to self-reflect and has brought it back to its original purpose - to develop Malaysia for all Malaysians.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Nicole Wong Siaw Ting said in the wake of the defeat, the party also pledged to continue playing its roles in fighting for social justice, racial harmony and national development.

"We want to tell the people, especially the Chinese community that we get their message, which was given to us in GE14 on May 9, 2018, and we have taken time to self-reflect."

She said this at the 56th MCA Youth hybrid Annual General Meeting (AGM) launched by Deputy President Datuk Dr Mah Hong Soon today.

In the GE14, MCA only managed to win one out of 39 parliamentary seats and two out of the 90 state seats it contested, the worst defeat in its history.

Wong, who is the first woman to hold the post of MCA Youth chief, said he GE14 defeat should not be an excuse for the party to give everything up as she believed that the party, which has entered its 72nd year of establishment, still has what it takes to win back the hearts of the people.

"We all just have to work harder, learn from our mistakes, be brave in getting closer to the people, to close the gap, to listen to the people and to help solve their problems," she said.

The hybrid AGM was participated by 322 delegates from 186 MCA divisions nationwide.

-- BERNAMA