While I personally appreciate the concern shown by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for MCA as well as his efforts to try to restore peace and stability in the party, I must honestly say that his plan has backfired.

Many, many grassroots leaders and members of MCA, whether from Team A or Team B are very, very angry by the suspension of democratic contests. Many say that there is no more MCA while many more others blame Umno for destroying MCA's constitution.

The anger, although not expressed very much through the mainstream media, could very seriously jeopardise the image of Barisan Nasional all over the country. Top leaders of both Team A and B may not be telling Mahathir the whole truth because of their vested interests.

That 40 out of 166 divisions who wanted to contest, despite the efforts made by party president Dr Ling Liong Sik and his rival, deputy president Lim Ah Lek, speaks volumes of the decline of their moral authority and legitimacy among the grassroots. To be very honest, Mahathir's personal image has also somehow been adversely affected.

One way out is for Mahathir to immediately order the restoration of democratic contests with a clean membership list. If he does that, many MCA members and leaders would be grateful to him and continue to support Barisan Nasional. He would be seen as flexible and readily responsive to the wishes of grassroots members of MCA.

It is better for the strong to wipe out the weaker faction once and for all, than forcing them to sabotage each other secretly under one roof. Mahathir could, for example, make arrangements for the losers in the party elections to join Gerakan or the People's Progressive Party.