Stars realign once again in MCA?
Kuek Ser Kuang KengPublished: Jan 4, 2010 10:26 AM | Updated: Jan 4, 2010 10:32 AM
In politics, friends become foes and foes become friends within a blink of an eye. And MCA politicians appear to be no different.
Tomorrow, the party's special committee for a fresh polls will meet. The committee will submit a recommendation to the all powerful central committee on whether there should be a new contest.
In politics, friends become foes and foes become friends within a blink of an eye. And MCA politicians appear to be no different.
Tomorrow, the party's special committee for a fresh polls will meet. The committee will submit a recommendation to the all powerful central committee on whether there should be a new contest.
But some new developments over the past two days have raised more uncertainties with regards to finding an amiable solution.
Among them is the possibility that Youth chief Wee Ka Siong, who is best remembered for bursting into tears after being axed from the presidential council, has switched camp.
Is the former staunch supporter of vice-president Liow Tiong Lai now rooting for rival Dr Chua Soi Lek, the current number two?
Meanwhile, president Ong Tee Keat has raised eyebrows by disbursing funds to the divisions, a move seen by rivals as an attempt to ‘buy’ grassroots support to face a fresh election.
Reconstruct and reunite
According to 'MCA blogger' Lim Fang, Wee has urged Liow's faction to work together with Chua’s team to oust the president.
"Wee (right) felt that Liow should work with Chua to push for fresh polls and topple Ong in order to reconstruct and reunite MCA," he wrote in his blog about his hour-long private discussion with the Youth chief on Jan 1.
"He (Wee) said he will fully support Chua if the latter was appointed or elected as president," he added.
Lim's posting was widely reported in the Chinese dailies and sparked off a fresh round of speculations.
Wanita chief Chew Mei Fun, who is closely aligned to Wee, claimed to be in the dark over the Youth leader’s suggestion to work with Chua and his supporters.
Wee himself has remained silent on the matter.
Is there an ulterior motive?
However, a CC member aligned to Chua told Malaysiakini that there could be an ulterior motive behind the extension of the olive branch.
He said that Wee's statement was aimed at driving a wedge between Chua and Ong since Liow's faction failed to collect enough signatures from the CC members to push for fresh polls.
He claimed that Chua's faction did not receive any proposal from Liow’s camp with regards to forming an alliance.
"Wee purposely leaks out such information to break the trust between Chua and Ong," he charged.
According to the MCA constitution, at least two thirds or 21 CC members have to resign for fresh polls to be held. Currently, Liow has only managed to get 13 signatures.
Observers also noted that it would not be wise for Chua to turn his back on Ong and join Liow.
They said that a fresh polls may not be favourable to Chua since the majority of party delegates had voted against his reinstatement as deputy president during last October’s extraordinary general meeting.
Furthermore, since being brought back , the president has entrusted Chua with several major tasks, including chairing the party’s affair management committee.
Party funds for divisions
As for the disbursement of funds by the president, a Liow-aligned CC member Wong Nai Chee said the move could lead some 'fence sitters' to back Ong out of gratitude.
"This funds may be very necessary for some divisions, and they will appreciate the help from those leaders," he said when contacted by Malaysiakini.
Wong pointed out that this new policy (disbursement of funds) had been discussed by the leadership under former president Ong Ka Ting but has been hastily implemented by Ong now.
"If you choose to implement it during this sensitive hour, you can't blame people for doubting your real motive behind," he added.
The first batch of funds were handed over by Ong personally to divisions in Malacca.
Wong also questioned the sustainability of the policy, asking if it will jeopardise the party's financial status in the long run.
Tomorrow, the party's special committee for a fresh polls will meet. The committee will submit a recommendation to the all powerful central committee on whether there should be a new contest.
But some new developments over the past two days have raised more uncertainties with regards to finding an amiable solution.Among them is the possibility that Youth chief Wee Ka Siong, who is best remembered for bursting into tears after being axed from the presidential council, has switched camp.
Is the former staunch supporter of vice-president Liow Tiong Lai now rooting for rival Dr Chua Soi Lek, the current number two?
Meanwhile, president Ong Tee Keat has raised eyebrows by disbursing funds to the divisions, a move seen by rivals as an attempt to ‘buy’ grassroots support to face a fresh election.
Reconstruct and reunite
According to 'MCA blogger' Lim Fang, Wee has urged Liow's faction to work together with Chua’s team to oust the president.
"Wee (right) felt that Liow should work with Chua to push for fresh polls and topple Ong in order to reconstruct and reunite MCA," he wrote in his blog about his hour-long private discussion with the Youth chief on Jan 1."He (Wee) said he will fully support Chua if the latter was appointed or elected as president," he added.
Lim's posting was widely reported in the Chinese dailies and sparked off a fresh round of speculations.
Wanita chief Chew Mei Fun, who is closely aligned to Wee, claimed to be in the dark over the Youth leader’s suggestion to work with Chua and his supporters.
Wee himself has remained silent on the matter.
Is there an ulterior motive?
However, a CC member aligned to Chua told Malaysiakini that there could be an ulterior motive behind the extension of the olive branch.
He said that Wee's statement was aimed at driving a wedge between Chua and Ong since Liow's faction failed to collect enough signatures from the CC members to push for fresh polls.
He claimed that Chua's faction did not receive any proposal from Liow’s camp with regards to forming an alliance."Wee purposely leaks out such information to break the trust between Chua and Ong," he charged.
According to the MCA constitution, at least two thirds or 21 CC members have to resign for fresh polls to be held. Currently, Liow has only managed to get 13 signatures.
Observers also noted that it would not be wise for Chua to turn his back on Ong and join Liow.
They said that a fresh polls may not be favourable to Chua since the majority of party delegates had voted against his reinstatement as deputy president during last October’s extraordinary general meeting.
Furthermore, since being brought back , the president has entrusted Chua with several major tasks, including chairing the party’s affair management committee.
Party funds for divisions
As for the disbursement of funds by the president, a Liow-aligned CC member Wong Nai Chee said the move could lead some 'fence sitters' to back Ong out of gratitude.
"This funds may be very necessary for some divisions, and they will appreciate the help from those leaders," he said when contacted by Malaysiakini.Wong pointed out that this new policy (disbursement of funds) had been discussed by the leadership under former president Ong Ka Ting but has been hastily implemented by Ong now.
"If you choose to implement it during this sensitive hour, you can't blame people for doubting your real motive behind," he added.
The first batch of funds were handed over by Ong personally to divisions in Malacca.
Wong also questioned the sustainability of the policy, asking if it will jeopardise the party's financial status in the long run.
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