KUALA LUMPUR: In the battle for MCA, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has received the backing of a number of influential leaders who have one thing in common — they are almost all supporters of the party’s Team A faction aligned to either former presidents Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting and Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik.
These leaders had helped shore up Dr Ling and Ka Ting’s position as party president when their leadership was challenged previously.
From next Monday, these leaders will get down to the nuts and bolts of collecting signatures from party delegates to convene an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to topple party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.
The leaders who have pledged their services to what has been dubbed by the Chinese media as the “support Chua-topple Ong” campaign include:
Datuk Koay Kar Huah (Penang), Datuk Seri Fong Chan Onn (Malacca), Datuk Tan Chai Ho (Federal Territory), Datuk Yew Teong Look (FT), Datuk Beh Heng Seong (Kedah) and Datuk Tan Kok Hong (Johor), who is also a party vice-president.
While Ka Ting and Dr Ling have not openly declared their position in the current party crisis, it is understood that many of their supporters are positioning themselves behind Dr Chua because of their unhappiness with Tee Keat’s leadership.
It is understood that they hope to hold the EGM by the end of September.
But The Malaysian Insider understands that Tee Keat’s supporters are also mulling the option of also holding an EGM as a show of support for him.
With the party already in a tailspin after Dr Chua was expelled this week by a presidential council stacked with Tee Keat’s men, the scenario of having two EGMs would see a repeat of the bitter 1980s’ struggle for control of MCA.
In the early 1980s, the party was split between supporters of Tan Koon Swan and acting president Datuk Neo Yee Pan, and was dragged through three EGMs before the latter was finally ousted.
Then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was even forced to dispatch his deputy Tun Ghafar Baba to mediate in the crisis.
Dr Mahathir eventually sacked Neo from the Cabinet and paved the way for Tan to become MCA president.
So far, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said Umno will not interfere in the affairs of the MCA unless it is invited.
But it is an open secret that Umno leaders are more comfortable with Dr Chua than the aloof Tee Keat.
Still, Umno will not want to be seen as taking sides in what is a bitter fight for control of MCA.
Tee Keat is banking on what his supporters say is his record so far of being a minister who is willing to do what is right at the expense of his own career.
They point to what they claim was his willingness to expose wrongdoings in the scandal-hit Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project.
Tee Keat has projected an image of being incorruptible, but recent allegations made against him by PKFZ contractor Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) has greatly tarnished that reputation.
While he has filed a lawsuit against KDSB CEO Datuk Tiong King Sing’s allegation that he received RM10 million in undeclared donations, it is the fact that he took free rides on the company’s private jets that he has found hard to explain.
The free rides, which are against government regulations, suggest impropriety and a cosy relationship with a contractor his ministry was purportedly investigating.
PKFZ could very well be Tee Keat’s downfall especially since a number of Umno and MCA personalities are said to be involved with KDSB as well.
MI
28/08/09
These leaders had helped shore up Dr Ling and Ka Ting’s position as party president when their leadership was challenged previously.
From next Monday, these leaders will get down to the nuts and bolts of collecting signatures from party delegates to convene an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to topple party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.
The leaders who have pledged their services to what has been dubbed by the Chinese media as the “support Chua-topple Ong” campaign include:
Datuk Koay Kar Huah (Penang), Datuk Seri Fong Chan Onn (Malacca), Datuk Tan Chai Ho (Federal Territory), Datuk Yew Teong Look (FT), Datuk Beh Heng Seong (Kedah) and Datuk Tan Kok Hong (Johor), who is also a party vice-president.
While Ka Ting and Dr Ling have not openly declared their position in the current party crisis, it is understood that many of their supporters are positioning themselves behind Dr Chua because of their unhappiness with Tee Keat’s leadership.
It is understood that they hope to hold the EGM by the end of September.
But The Malaysian Insider understands that Tee Keat’s supporters are also mulling the option of also holding an EGM as a show of support for him.
With the party already in a tailspin after Dr Chua was expelled this week by a presidential council stacked with Tee Keat’s men, the scenario of having two EGMs would see a repeat of the bitter 1980s’ struggle for control of MCA.
In the early 1980s, the party was split between supporters of Tan Koon Swan and acting president Datuk Neo Yee Pan, and was dragged through three EGMs before the latter was finally ousted.
Then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was even forced to dispatch his deputy Tun Ghafar Baba to mediate in the crisis.
Dr Mahathir eventually sacked Neo from the Cabinet and paved the way for Tan to become MCA president.
So far, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said Umno will not interfere in the affairs of the MCA unless it is invited.
But it is an open secret that Umno leaders are more comfortable with Dr Chua than the aloof Tee Keat.
Still, Umno will not want to be seen as taking sides in what is a bitter fight for control of MCA.
Tee Keat is banking on what his supporters say is his record so far of being a minister who is willing to do what is right at the expense of his own career.
They point to what they claim was his willingness to expose wrongdoings in the scandal-hit Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project.
Tee Keat has projected an image of being incorruptible, but recent allegations made against him by PKFZ contractor Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) has greatly tarnished that reputation.
While he has filed a lawsuit against KDSB CEO Datuk Tiong King Sing’s allegation that he received RM10 million in undeclared donations, it is the fact that he took free rides on the company’s private jets that he has found hard to explain.
The free rides, which are against government regulations, suggest impropriety and a cosy relationship with a contractor his ministry was purportedly investigating.
PKFZ could very well be Tee Keat’s downfall especially since a number of Umno and MCA personalities are said to be involved with KDSB as well.
MI
28/08/09
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