KUALA LUMPUR - After Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah successfully proved to UMNO that he still wielded influence following the BN's victory in Galas by-election, another BN leader is now expected to prove himself when the Tenang state by-election is called.
Insiders say that UMNO leaders are training its gun on MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek, whose criticisms of UMNO's battlecry "Malay supremacy" (Ketuanan Melayu) threw a spanner in MCA-UMNO ties.
Chua, who called for a ban on the phrase "Ketuanan Melayu" and censured UMNO for acting like the sole ruling party by approving government policies at its meetings, will now have to prove that he is still a political force in Tenang, which sits in Labis, once Chua's parliamentary seat.
Chua, the former Health minister, is widely known as MCA's comeback kid after his triumphant return to the party as its president, two years after he was forced to resign from politics following revelation of a sex tape exposing his adulteruous affair with a "female companion" in a hotel room.
In the last general election, Chua's son Chua Tee Yong replaced his father and won the Labis constituency.
Insiders say that UMNO leaders are training its gun on MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek, whose criticisms of UMNO's battlecry "Malay supremacy" (Ketuanan Melayu) threw a spanner in MCA-UMNO ties.
Chua, who called for a ban on the phrase "Ketuanan Melayu" and censured UMNO for acting like the sole ruling party by approving government policies at its meetings, will now have to prove that he is still a political force in Tenang, which sits in Labis, once Chua's parliamentary seat.
Chua, the former Health minister, is widely known as MCA's comeback kid after his triumphant return to the party as its president, two years after he was forced to resign from politics following revelation of a sex tape exposing his adulteruous affair with a "female companion" in a hotel room.
In the last general election, Chua's son Chua Tee Yong replaced his father and won the Labis constituency.
'Is he still influential?'
UMNO’s mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia today quoted several UMNO leaders pressuring Chua to prove himself in the Tenang by-election as it could gauge Chua’s charm with the Chinese electorate.
UMNO Johor Baharu member of parliament Shahrir Abdul Samad (left) said Chua’s influence to attract Chinese votes in the state seat would be an important factor for BN to defend the seat it won in the 2008 general election.
“This can also gauge Soi Lek’s ability as MCA president, what’s more the Tenang state seat is located in Labis, and he was the ex Member of Parliament.
"Tenang state seat is in Soi Lek’s area, and if he is influential, there is no problem for BN to win,” added Shahrir.
Tenang state seat has been left vacant following the death of its state assemblyman Sulaiman Taha last week due to diabetes complication. Sulaiman had won the seat for two successive terms beating PAS candidate Mohd Saim Siran by 5,517 votes in 2004 and 2,492 votes in 2008. It is expected that a PAS candidate will again contest against BN this time.
The constituency has a total of 14,511 voters, 49.66 percent of whom are Malays, 38.13 percent Chinese and 12.11 percent Indians.
Referring to the racial breakdown, Shahrir said it would be the best chance for Chua to prove his worth as MCA president and ensure 38.13 percent the voters there support BN.
“I can say that Soi Lek’s influence in Labis parliamentary area is very important if BN wants to retain Tenang,” he stressed.
- Harakahdaily
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