When BN chairperson Najib Abdul Razak delivered his speech at the MCA Chinese New Year open house celebration on Sunday, he ‘chose’ MCA vice-president Liow Tiong Lai to stand beside him, in place of party President Ong Tee Keat or Deputy President Chua Soi Lek.

One can argue that Ong is ‘lame and challenged’ while Chua is not a minister. Question is,

why Liow? Is Najib trying to tell MCA members, prominent leaders and the foreign guests that he ‘endorses’ Liow as the ‘de facto’ MCA president ?

The second question MCA members then asked was, ‘why should Najib do that?’ Hasn’t Najib ‘endorsed’ the ‘Grand Unity Plan’ for Ong and Chua to stay in power after their disgraceful defeat in the Oct 10 EGM ? Why then should Najib change his mind ?

The third question is, ‘so what?’ Why should the Umno/BN chairperson interfere in the affairs of the MCA, especially during this period of crises? Is this morally right. How would the Chinese community perceive such meddling? Will the Chinese still trust MCA as their vanguard?

The fourth question is, ‘from now on, what will happen to the MCA?’ Will there still be a re-election as demanded by most delegates but opposed by Ong and Chua ? If there is no such move, how can Najib do anything to the MCA even if he does endorse Liow ?

Even if Najib ‘reviews’ Chua’s position vis-à-vis the Registrar of Society’s authority, nothing will happen to Ong as the legitimate president, even though he was booted out by the EGM.

The fifth question is, ‘will Najib remove Ong as a cabinet minister during his impending reshuffle? That is certainly Najib’s prerogative. Come March, if Ong is still around as transport minister, then Najib cannot do a damn thing to Ong as MCA President.

Or, in other words, Sunday’s ‘endorsement’ of Liow was a futile exercise. It just gave a false confidence boost to Liow and gang. It also goes to prove that Najib still prefers an ‘easy way out’, testimony of his ‘convenient’ management style. It is moot point trying to decipher all the above conjectures when the facts are as follows:

1. Ong’s and Chua’s positions in MCA are not easily challenged unless there is a fully-mandated EGM;

2. Najib can only ‘persuade’ MCA , since he has no power over it’s electoral process, unless he arm-twists (but how to do this?);

3. Najib can only sack Ong as a cabinet minister but he risks antagonising the party. Unless he is prepared to boot MCA out of BN only to be re-admitted after an appropriate resolution.

Who then can provide MCA an exit when even Najib cannot ?