The formation of the MCA on 27 February 1947 was seen as a watershed moment for the development of Chinese politics in Malaya. By February 1953, the MCA had approximately 250,000 members. The majority of MCA members were from the lower income group: the working proletariats, craftsmen, white collar wage earners, farmers and fishermen. A small but substantial number of the members were from the middle income group, which consisted of merchants and professionals.
