MCA power play in Tanjong Malim
(fz.com) – In this first of a three-part series focusing on the Tanjong Malim parliamentary seat, we look at the battle brewing within the MCA between two powerful political families over who should stand here in the next general election
Tanjong Malim may look like a town that time has forgotten, but what happens there in the next general election could change the power structure in the MCA.
The parliamentary seat is shaping up to become a battle between a political family waiting to make a comeback and a chance for the MCA president to deal a double whammy against his nemesis.
The Tanjong Malim parliamentary seat is being held by Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, the elder brother of former MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting. As Tanjong Malim is seen as a safe seat for the MCA, winning it in the next election would be an important step for the Ong faction to stage a return to the seat of power in the party.
For MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, the seat offers a number of tantalising options. As the Perak MCA chief, he could decide to stand there to lead the charge for the state, which the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition lost in the 2008 general election.
If Chua stands in Tanjong Malim, he could cut off an obvious avenue for the Ong faction to stage a return. Otherwise, he could field a loyalist there to deny the Ongs a chance to rebuild their base.
Asked about the likelihood of the above scenario taking place, a Perak MCA insider said that if Ka Chuan contests and wins in the coming election and overall, the MCA performs worse than in 2008, Chua would probably have to quit, and Ka Chuan could be a candidate for the next president of the party.
When asked, Goh Choong Seng, a special aide to Ka Chuan, said this development is plausible. “When you are in politics, this is normal, no matter whether it is in Umno or the Communist Party,” he said.
However, Chua has to balance between settling a political score and choosing a “winnable” candidate to improve the BN’s electoral performance, after the unprecedented setback it suffered in the last general election.
Chua won the president’s post in the 2010 re-election, beating Ka Ting by 68 votes. Although the party is seen to have closed ranks after
Chua became the president, Goh opined that if Ka Chuan and Chua are compared as candidates, Ka Chuan stands a better chance.
He said the electorate, especially the Malays in the constituency, are conservative, and would not accept Chua because of his sex scandal.
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