Rift widens as MCA leaders fight
(The Straits Times) – The rift in the leadership of the MCA, the second-biggest party in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, appears to be widening as spats between its top two men intensified recently.
MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat fired the latest broadside over the weekend in a Sin Chew Daily column that was barely a veiled attack on his deputy Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek.
Although nobody was named, it was clear whom the MCA chief was referring to with references such as a “returning politician”.
Dr Chua, who was the former health minister, had resigned from all his government and party posts a year ago after he was exposed in a sex scandal video. He made a stunning comeback during the MCA election last October by clinching the No. 2 post.
In his column, Ong chastised the person for “showing no remorse despite committing immoral deeds, and instead blaming the political motives of others for videotaping his wrongdoings”. Ong also likened him to disgraced Taiwanese ex-President Chen Shui-bian, who after being investigated on graft charges recently, had accused his predecessor Lee Teng-hui of similar embezzlement charges.
The MCA chief wrote that this Malaysian politician, like Chen, is “someone who drags others down with him when in trouble”.
Dr Chua declined to comment on the column.
The two have been at loggerheads since they campaigned for the MCA elections, despite pledging to let bygones be bygones after the polls.
Ong had referred to Dr Chua as “morally tainted” while the latter criticised Ong as a puppet candidate of the previous party leadership.
Despite winning the No. 2 party post, Dr Chua was not appointed to key positions but headed the party's government policy monitoring bureau.
Analysts say the protracted squabble between the two men could further split an already fractured party and stall reforms planned after Chinese voters abandoned the party at the March general election last year.
In the past weeks, Dr Chua has stepped up his criticism of another MCA politician, Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai, who is allied with Ong.
In accusing Liow of not doing enough to stop the spread of dengue and chikungunya epidemics in Malaysia, Dr Chua spoke as head of MCA's government policy monitoring bureau.
But last week, the party announced that all bureau chiefs would need to seek prior endorsement from the presidential council before issuing press releases, in what was seen as a move to shut Dr Chua up.
Some may cheer this move, as it blunts what they feel is Dr Chua's hidden personal agenda. But it could also deepen the rift between rival factions within the MCA. Dr Chua's staunch supporters would interpret the directive as a gag order curbing his political freedom, Malaysiakini reported.
Quoting a party source, the news portal reported: “If the president has no confidence in the bureau chief, why appoint Chua in the first place? The president might as well direct all bureau chiefs to take instructions from him (Ong).”
In response to the report, Ong on Thursday denied that the rule was targeted at anyone. “This is the spinners' version. Someone wanted to spread rumours and confuse the people,” he was quoted as saying by the Sun daily.
On Wednesday, MCA secretary-general Wong Foon Meng said the directive was imposed so that views aired by the bureau chiefs and the party would be consistent.
Analysts said the directive and a recent reshuffle at the top management of the MCA-owned The Star were aimed at curbing Dr Chua's influence.
The reshuffle at the English daily, which leads in circulation numbers, was seen as an attempt to reduce the hold of those close to former MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, a strong supporter of Dr Chua.
