Mission impossible for MCA’s Soi Lek?
(The Straits Times) KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — It is no secret that MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat have their share of differences. That is why political observers and party insiders say he has been given what some see as an impossible task.
Dr Chua, 64, was appointed the Barisan Nasional's (BN) chief coordinator in the four Pakatan Rakyat (PR) states and politically deadlocked Perak.
That would make him the fall guy for any failure to bring Chinese voters back to the BN fold.
“Many members wonder if this is a trap for him. But it will definitely be an uphill task for Dr Chua because he has to work closely with the grassroots now,” a source in MCA told The Straits Times.
“But the problem is most people do not want to be seen as supporting him because they know he is not close to Datuk Seri Ong.”
Dr Chua, a former health minister, resigned from all his posts after sex videos of him engaged in sex acts were circulated on the Internet two years ago.
Despite the scandal, he won the MCA deputy president post in the party elections last year. However, he was not given a government position, something that was commonly doled out by the BN for a man in Dr Chua's position.
Yesterday, he told reporters that he was given the coordinator's post after three meetings with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. He denied that the appointment was made simply to keep him from defecting to PR, as he has been rumoured to be considering lately.
“I am a loyal party man and have been serving for 25 years,” Dr Chua said. “Leaving is not an easy thing to do,” he said.
He said that he was confident that he could carry out the task and would report to the premier.
Dr Chua said that he would look into the cooperation between BN component parties in the PR states and boost the BN machinery.
“We're now facing a very confident Pakatan Rakyat,” said Dr Chua. “They seem so sure that they will be the ruling coalition in the next general election.”
Reiterating his stand on the Perak political situation, he said there should be an emergency state assembly sitting before a fresh state election is called.
Observers said Dr Chua would earn the respect of party members if he could deliver positive results within three months.
“It is difficult to say now whether it is an impossible task,” a party insider said. “The grassroots are willing to give him at least three months before they judge him.”
Dr Chua, however, remained mum about his specific plans as the new BN chief coordinator.
“Of course I can't tell you everything now,” he said. “I will let you know later.”
