EGM may become presidential fight
(The Star) – BARELY a year after he took office, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat will be facing another “election” when the party convenes an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on Oct 10.
Ong has taken a huge risk by accepting all five motions proposed by supporters of his sacked deputy Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who, among others, are seeking a no-confidence vote against Ong and to reinstate the latter.
The party president is seizing the bull by the horns in choosing to leave it to the 2,377 delegates representing 900,000 members to decide on his leadership following Dr Chua’s expulsion for a sex video scandal.
“It’s another party presidential election. That’s how I look at it,” a party insider told Bernama.
The EGM may yield several scenarios: firstly one side winning handsomely; the second of a no-confidence vote in Ong, and thirdly, and the most watched, the party president winning on a simple majority while Dr Chua makes a return to the party that expelled him on Aug 26 for a video sex scandal two years ago.
The same party insider said anything less than the 60% that Ong secured in the party election last October would be seen as him losing support and might cause him to vacate the post.
If the delegates pass the motion of no-confidence against Ong and reinstate Dr Chua, it would also likely to prompt Ong to come to the same decision.
“Although according to the party constitution, a two-third majority is needed to remove the president, knowing Ong’s style, he would prefer to throw in the towel if the motion is rejected with only a simple majority,” the insider said.
“If that happens, under Article 40 of the constitution, the deputy president automatically becomes the president without having to seek a fresh mandate unlike previously,” he added.
Before the constitution was amended in 1986, the deputy president could only be acting president and had to contest for the top post to become president.
While Dr Chua’s side denies he is out to topple Ong, the president’s supporters believe there is a “hidden element” in the motions to be debated at the EGM, which is to pave the way for his reinstatement and ascend to the party presidency.
“As the delegates will vote secretly for each separate motion, this can act as a safety net for Dr Chua.
“Unless the delegates vote in block and say no to all five motions, it would spell big trouble for Ong,” the veteran said.
The remaining three motions are to annul Dr Chua’s sacking; to revoke the appointment of any other deputy president and for no disciplinary action to be taken against delegates who had supported Dr Chua to call for an EGM.
Some party leaders are more worried about a possible deadlock if scenario three — of Ong winning with a simple majority and Dr Chua making a return to the party — happens.
“It would prolong the crisis as we will be back to square one.
“It is just like marriage, if the two cannot reconcile, you cannot force it to happen,” said a leader who did not want to be identified.
Ong and Dr Chua are believed to each have at least 30% hardcore backing and need to win over the remaining 40% of neutral or fence-sitters.
Selangor, Johor and Perak are crucial as they account for just over 50% of the delegates with Selangor having 431, Johor (418) and Perak (347).
The rest are Federal Territory which has 178 delegates followed by Pahang (176), Kedah (173), Penang (149), Sabah (148), Negeri Sembilan (122), Melaka (90), Kelantan (76), Terengganu (43) and Perlis (27).
