MCA Negeri Sembilan deputy chief Yeow Chai Thiam - who was not reappointed state exco this term - has blamed both party president Ong Ka Ting and his deputy Chan Kong Choy for playing him out and dishonouring the party's peace plan inked two years ago.

"Ong and Chan have betrayed the peace agreement. If the national leaders can dishonour and play out party members like that...how does this reflect on the prime minister's initiative that we must set good example and be clean?" said Yeow when contacted.

The Lukut state assemblyperson claimed that prior to the elections, he had been given a number of assurances by both Ong and Chan that they would abide by the peace plan initiated by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2002.

Among those were a promise that he would be given a state exco post, as well as be allowed to contest a parliament seat should Yeow decide to do so.

Yeow said his name was specifically mentioned in the peace plan as a measure of protection for his role in bringing across the additional votes needed by the Team B faction, led by then-deputy president Lim Ah Lek.

Cross over

In 2001, Yeow was the MCA leader who crossed over to Team B when the faction was short of 50 votes to call for an extraordinary general meeting. When Yeow crossed over, he brought with him more than 90 votes.

With this number, the Team B faction called for the EGM to decide whether the party should acquire Nanyang Press Holdings, which publishes two Chinese newspapers, Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press.

However the Team B faction, which opposed the move, was out-voted by the other faction led by the then party president Dr Ling Liong Sik.

The relationship between the feuding Ling and his deputy Lim strained further after this until the implementation of the peace plan by Mahathir which eventually saw Ling's protege Ong and Lim's loyalist Chan being promoted to the helm.

According to the MCA leader now, the reason that such a specific clause was set aside to promise him a state exco post, was due to his role in the feud.

"In fact, Chan himself told me that I had become the deciding factor," said Yeow.

Remain loyal

However, Yeow was not given his old housing and local government position within the state exco. The party's representation in the state exco was taken up by first-timer Yu Chok Tow and Peter Lai Yit Fee.

By convention names of party members for the state exco positions will be given by the national party leadership to the respective state menteri besar.

"In all fairness, an agreement was signed and the least the leaders could do is to honour that. I think I am hardworking, and the public have a lot of trust in me. If they feel I am a lousy leader, then don't sign an agreement with me," said Yeow.

"I am saying this with sincerity and loyalty. Rejecting the peace plan is a total disrespect to the past prime minister, and the present one."

But when asked if his removal from his former post will signify discontent within local ranks in Negeri Sembilan, Yeow said party players like him have no intention to create trouble.

"I will remain loyal. I plan to work as usual, like when I was a state exco," he said, however adding later that such moves by leadership will probably be looked upon as underhanded, and will likely affect the party morale.

Observers say that Yeow commands significant grassroots respect in Negeri Sembilan, and the fact that he managed a win in the constituency of Lukut - considered an opposition ground covering areas like Bukit Pelanduk and Tanah Merak - is testimony to that.

Political analysts have also commented that the party's representation in the cabinet and government following the general election indicated that Team B leaders are being sidelined from the party hierarchy.