A Tough Choice for MCA – Dogged or Tainted?
Khoo Kay Peng
So, the second biggest party in Barisan is going into the mother of all battles on 10th October. The EGM will decide whether Ong Tee Keat will be able to remain as MCA president.
The same EGM will also decide on whether his sacked deputy Dr Chua Soi Lek will be able to return to the party. Indirectly, the EGM can be seen as an extended presidential election for MCA.
A vote of no-confidence against Ong and a support for the return of Chua can potentially put the latter in-charge of the party.
Chua is right to say that the Chinese community is no longer bothered with their tussle. There are many issues which both Chua and Ong did nothing to address e.g. the Teoh Beng Hock death, continuation of the NEP, reform of public institutions, racism in Utusan Malaysia and others.
Chua is evidently an old school leader who believes, like both Lim Keng Yaik & Koh Tsu Koon, that his party needs to use a soft and persuasive approach to deal with UMNO. This action over the years has contributed to the hegemony of UMNO in the coalition.
Chua should refrain from being a pot calling a kettle black. It is evident that his leadership of MCA (more than 30 years) did nothing to help this government to rule more justly. Take a poll now and many non-Malays will be able to tell him that they feel like 2nd class citizens in their mother land.
It is unbelievable that leaders of MCA and Gerakan continue to tolerate UMNO after the Ahmad Ismail, cow head, Utusan racist articles and others.
How different is Chua leadership? What can Chua do to help the Chinese?
The verdict of the March 2008 general election should serve as a good lesson to MCA. The people expect politicians to respect their constitutional rights. No point referring to the Rukun Negara everytime, like Tsu Koon, to point out to UMNO that they should observe respect. It is a cowardice act.
The people want an outspoken, courageous and decisive party to represent their interest. It is time for the MCA leadership to do two things – first, turn multiracial and second, clean up their image and lose the baggage.
Otherwise, Chua can steer his MCA to become more buddy buddy with an unrepentant UMNO and suffer a sorrow destruction in the next general election.
