Post-MCA crisis: Quo Vadis Liow?

As an uneasy truce between MCA president Ong Tee Keat and his ousted deputy Dr Chua Soi Lek sets in, current deputy president Liow Tiong Lai's future appears to be hanging in the balance.

Liow was promoted to deputy president a week ago to fill the vacancy vacated by Chua, but is widely seen to have chosen to be on a different page with Ong, despite being just a hair's breath away from the throne.

He is widely attributed to have led a group of central committee members in an attempt to pressure Ong to resign as promised, after the party boss lost a no-confidence vote during the Oct 10 extraordinary general meeting (EGM).

Until recently, Liow was known as a trusted lieutenant to Ong. Now, he is being labeled a traitor by numerous vernacular newspapers.

With Ong and Chua burying the hatchet, it is widely expected that the former deputy chief's supporters will be given promotions or appointed to important party positions, thereby undermining Liow's faction.

Up for grabs is eight appointed central committee posts and the position of state party liaison chiefs, both of which is expected to be reshuffled soon by Ong to include Chua's supporters.

Moves are already underway to paint a grim picture of Liow and his supporters, as was done in a lengthy blog article by central committee member Ti Lian Ker yesterday.

Liow's failed coup

Describing Liow as the leader of the "third force" in the party, Ti said the former's credibility was questionable after the attempted coup.

Ti, who reportedly one of the architects of the peace plan, also brought up Liow's alleged involvement with the 'snoop squad' controversy, which had earned the latter the perception of being an "evil man".

Whereas Chua is said to be tainted morally, Liow's transgressions are said to be in the form of another type of immorality that renders him unfit to take over from Ong.

"He is seen to lack the compassion of a leader and seems too brutal and cold to be a good leader," wrote Ti.

According to Ti, who reportedly played an integral role in bringing Ong and Chua together, the duo's supporters cannot trust Liow to lead the party.

"The immediate about-turn and revolt by some of Ong's strongest allies and inner circle had pained the president tremendously, causing him to rethink on the political morality of handing over the party (to Liow)," he said.

He alluded that since Liow and his supporters are no longer allied to Ong, the party chief would have a free reign in the appointments.

"He (Ong) is now free to complete a leadership package of inclusiveness involving all parties to serve the interest of the party," said Ti.

'Liow can't be trusted'

Despite Ong and Chua closing ranks, political analyst Khoo Kay Peng notes that Ong appears to be still offering an olive branch to Liow.

"Ong has sounded his displeasure (at Liow), but he is also trying to heal wounds as he mentioned (on Thursday) that he accepted Liow's proposal for truce," he said.

Nevertheless, Khoo expects Liow to be in a rather awkward position now given that he is no longer part of Ong's inner circle.

"Liow's power struggle with Ong does not put in him good light. People working with him now don't know if he can be trusted," he said.

For now, Liow's plans is not immediately known. Reports in Chinese-daily Nanyang Siang Pau yesterday said he held a meeting in a Chinese restaurant in Kuala Lumpur with 15 central committee members to strategise his next move.

During the meeting, Liow is purportedly to have said that he was totally caught off-guard with the Ong-Chua truce until the announcement on Thursday.

VP: Include everyone in unity plan

Meanwhile, Bernama reported that MCA vice-president Kong Cho Ha urged the party president's proposed 'Greater Unity Plan' to accommodate every member.

Kong said this was crucial to consolidate the party "since everyone has a role to play" in ensuring that the second largest BN coalition party could forge ahead with time.

"I think it is a good move in the right direction... but it has to accommodate everyone in order to ensure MCA moves forward," said Kong, who is seen as an ally of Liow.

Ong, who announced the unity plan on Thursday, has not disclosed in detail, how the plan would work out.

The power struggle in the MCA came to an end when Ong and Chua met with Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also BN chairperson.