KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties should consider championing for Malaysians and not for a particular race or community they represent.

A member of the coalition party, Gerakan, believes that this is the best approach for BN to regain its support after the March 8 general election.

Gerakan secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Chia Kwang Chye said although BN itself was a multi-racial entity through its component members representing the various races and ethnic groups, it had not adopted the Malaysian way in addressing the needs of the people.

For example, when BN championed certain issues, component parties highlight the differences among the Malaysian races, he said.

If BN adopted the Malaysian approach, it could highlight the commonality among the population and not just look at the perspective of their own community, he told Bernama in an interview.

Hopefully one day, it does not matter from which background a person comes from, he will be looked at as a Malaysian.

"The danger here is that when society is not ready, then we have to be pragmatic," he said.

Chia said political parties should not resort to reverting to the old manner of politics by merely championing the communal issues to gain support from the grassroots.

He said when society was ready for a Malaysian approach, then the political parties, particulary BN, must embrace it.

"We must leave it to the comfort level of everyone. We cannot force them. If society has changed and they do not accept race-based party, then the party must either re-invent itself to be a truly Malaysian party, or risk becoming irrelevant.

In line with this, he said Gerakan must remain politically strong in its ideology and belief and this should be translated into the party's core values and rights and they must be shown in their political culture.

"Once we are clear with our ideological stand, our value system, the right political culture, then we become more of our own identity -- what we perceive as an ideal identity and we will emerge as the leader in this identity," he said

To a question whether Gerakan was still relevant to Malaysians after experiencing a major setback in the March 8 general election despite having championing the Malaysian approach as its tagline, Chia said party members and its leadership felt the party was still relevant.

"We think Gerakan has a future, that is to be a Malaysian political party in a multi-racial society. We cannot ignore the fact that we are a multi-racial society, but we want to be a Malaysian party," he added.

On whether Gerakan would quit the BN, Chia said the question did not arise as the party made a decision based on its idelogical stand and political culture.

Chia said Gerakan's strength was unaffected after the election as there was no major split among its members.

"But this does not mean that we should be complacent. We must continue working together to rebuild the party to make it even stronger," he said.