A show of force for Ong and Chua factions

ARCHIVES 2009

By MT Webmaster On Sep 1, 2009

The Ong faction's EGM wants the removal of Chua Soi Lek to become an irrevocable truth, while the Chua faction's EGM fights to retain Chua's political life within MCA. Whichever side that has the day will dictate MCA's future destiny.

By LOW YAK BUANG/Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily

The Ong and Chua factions within MCA are headed for a showdown. While the Chua faction is busy preparing for its version of EGM to bring down Ong, the party president suddenly announces that he will call for his version of EGM within 30 days, to allow the central delegates to make the final verdict on the disciplinary committee's proposal to terminate the membership of deputy president Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek, citing Article 30.1 of the party constitution.

Obviously, the issue now is not whether the EGM would be held successfully. Since the pro-Ong camp has made the pre-emptive strike, they should be confident enough to see their motions passed in the EGM.

As for the Chua faction, they will have to see that their version of EGM also be successfully held in a show of force that the MCA grassroots do not accept the suppressive antic of sacking Chua Soi Lek.

Just as the Chua faction is running about the nation to lobby for its EGM, the Ong faction has stayed largely unmoved. Merely two or three days ago, the Ong faction was still saying it was unnecessary to call for an EGM, but the party president quickly changed his mind, and is widely expected to call for an EGM before the Chua faction is able to do so.

MCA boasts a total of 2,188 central delegates. According to the party constitution, it doesn't have to be such a big fuss to get one third of all delegates' support to hold an EGM, as the party president can do that with just a verbal order. The statutory quorum for the EGM is a third of all central delegates, or about 730, and this is exactly what it needs to pass a motion.

In other words, the EGM is as simple as "a show of hands," but the focus lies on whether the motions tabled would eventually get passed. If the EGM denies any of the motions, it shows that the organising faction is suffering a setback. This could also be interpreted as a show of no-confidence towards the leading faction, and the consequences could be unimaginable.

The current state of affairs in MCA has worried prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. It is believed that party members are reluctant to see a replay of the 1985 party infighting in which an "outsider," BN chief secretary Ghafar Baba, was brought in to mediate.

Shouldn't MCA leaders be politically wise enough to settle their own quarrels themselves?

Whichever faction is to call for the EGM, in the end, the decision will have to be "re-verified" by the 2,000-strong central delegates. The leaders elected by party delegates must never be so easily denied, or the once-in-three-years party elections would be rendered meaningless.

This is not unlike the general elections in which democratically elected representatives must be respected and accepted by the people. Any politically motivated attempt to wipe out any elected representative will be seen as an act of contempt for democracy.

This is the first time in MCA's six decades of history where two opposing factions are calling for their own versions of EGMs meant to thrash the opponents.

As a matter of fact, MCA does not have much political capital left today, and any continued infighting will only result in it being discarded by the Chinese community and Malaysians in general.

Former chief secretary Tan Sri Ting Chew Peh says the "double EGMs" are going to be self-exhaustive in nature and if their agendas are identical, there is no need at all to hold two different EGMs.

Having said that, both Ong and Chua factions have no more trust for each other and it is generally believed that their EGMs are going to be mutually conflicting and unfavourable for the opposing sides. Thanks to the contradictory EGMs, the expanded war zone will spell a stalemate that cannot be undone in the course of the current tussle.

The two opposing factions are obviously fighting to get a bigger attendance for their own EGMs than their rivals, and have good faith in believing that their supporters should also attend their rivals' EGM in order to veto the motions tabled.

However, if in the end both sides manage to hold their EGMs and pass their respective motions, the infighting will remain just as it is, and MCA will very likely split into two halves as a consequence.

It is far too distant now for anyone to see any ray of hope for a reconciliation. While an EGM should be seen as the last straw for MCA, "double EGMs" will not lead the party anywhere, while the ultimate withdrawal of both Ong and Chua is not something MCA members are happy to see.

Perhaps the MCA leadership should consider surrendering the right of choice to its grassroots by holding early party elections for the delegates to vote for their leadership team.