“We need to reboot the party before we can talk about rebuilding it,” he said.

As the second largest component party in Barisan Nasional, MCA won only one parliamentary seat and two state seats out of the 129 seats it contested on May 9.

“The people’s message to us (MCA) in GE14 is loud and clear. We must own up to our mistakes and change for the better or we will be wiped out completely in the next general election,” he said.

Gan and his running mate Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, who is eyeing the deputy president post, are hoping their so-called GanTee partnership will bring change to the party.

The Nov 4 polls will determine the next top leadership of MCA – president, deputy president, four vice-presidents and 25 central committee members.

GanTee hopes to beat WeeMah, the other team comprising Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, the current deputy president, and Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon, who are vying for the top two positions respectively.

Gan, 52, likened voting for GanTee to a referendum on MCA’s departure from Barisan.

The coalition shrank from 13 parties to five after GE14. Apart from MCA, there’s Umno, MIC, myPPP and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah.

“There is no point putting the blame on constraints we faced as a Barisan partner for our mistakes and weaknesses led to our huge defeat in GE14.

“We must instead be brave to take the first step by leaving Barisan before we can restart and change for the better,” he said, adding that any hesitation or justification to not make the exit would harm the party further.”

Gan said that he and Tee would take the lead in contesting in Chinese-majority seats in the next general election.

Contesting in Malay-majority seats or “safe seats” where MCA relied on Umno for support would be a thing of the past, he added.

Gan said the fate of MCA was now in the hands of the over 35,000 divisional delegates in the polls.