Jui Meng still has the fire for bigger role
Beh Lih YiPublished: Jun 3, 2005 3:22 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
There is no indication that MCA veteran Chua Jui Meng will call it a day from politics any time soon. On the contrary, there are signals indicating that he could be gearing up for a bid to a higher post come the party elections.
There is no indication that MCA veteran Chua Jui Meng will call it a day from politics any time soon. On the contrary, there are signals indicating that he could be gearing up for a bid to a higher post come the party elections.
"I consider myself still at my prime, still capable to contribute in any field. People know my track record. I do what I say. I strive for excellence," the 62-year-old Chua told malaysiakini when met in his office early this week, breaking his long silence with the media.
After he was unceremoniously dropped from the cabinet as health minister last year, the MCA vice-president has maintained a low profile, politely declined all media interviews and insisted that he would only talk at the right time.
Early this week, he was returned unopposed as the Bakri division chief in Johore. In the process, he also reminded party members that age should not be a factor in determining a leader's ability to run for party post.
Chua denied that he raised the age issue for his own interest, explaining that his concern on the age issue has nothing to do with his undeclared intention to vie for a higher post.
"Not at all. Whether I run or not does not matter. I commented on it because if you look at the background of the activists, they are those considered by the younger people as old, but they are the people really working on the ground," he said.
Backing from Bakri division
Dubbed as the 'most watchable person' in the party elections this year, there have been much speculations on his move to go for broke by challenging party president Ong Ka Ting.
The Bakri division earlier this week has also passed a resolution to support him to contest any top post in the party elections but the politician wisely chose to keep his cards close to his chest.
"Obviously they have their own wishes, it's very natural. It's for me to decide, they also realise that. I have to make up my own mind. They are probably more anxious than I am, " was all he would say.
He claimed he has no idea when would be a suitable time to announce his decision.
"Seriously I don't know, (only) God knows," said the politician who has been actively involved in church work since last year following the kidnap and miraculous rescue of his son.
There were also talks that his current office located in the high-end Sri Hartamas suburb in Petaling Jaya will soon be converted into his operation centre for the party polls.
"No, (this office) is for business. I wouldn't want to run an operation centre where nobody knows where is it," he replied with a laugh.
On talks that he, vice-president Dr Fong Chan Onn and secretary-general Dr Ting Chew Peh should be placed under the 'retirement category' of MCA leaders, Chua rebutted the criticisms, saying that many well known figures like the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, Malaysian ex-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the current premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi were making contribution despite being deemed as "old" by the younger people.
"So the age argument is downright silly. Age should never be a criteria, it is about the ability to contribute that matters," he said.
His three choices
So what does the future in MCA holds for the veteran party leader who has served as vice-president of the party since 1990?
Apparently, he has three choices - to defend his vice president post, go for broke by taking on one of the top two posts, or to completely retire from politics.
However, Chua is not likely to retire yet as he himself had said so. Also, had he harboured any intention to retire in the near future, he would not have consented to be Bakri division chief, said a political observer when contacted.
"Apparently, Chua still has ambitions to play a higher role in politics," he added.
In the event that the former minister decides to defend the vice-presidency, he could also expect to find the going tough as nine other senior party leaders are also expected to fight for the four vice-president posts.
Chua's name first cropped up in 2002 as a possible challenger against former party president Dr Ling Liong Sik but the contest never took place because of a peace plan which quickly doused the then internal squabble in the party.
During the party's three-years long internal squabble, the party split into two open factions - Team A led by Ling while Team B led by his deputy-cum-nemesis, Lim Ah Lek. Chua aligned himself with Team B.
"I consider myself still at my prime, still capable to contribute in any field. People know my track record. I do what I say. I strive for excellence," the 62-year-old Chua told malaysiakini when met in his office early this week, breaking his long silence with the media. After he was unceremoniously dropped from the cabinet as health minister last year, the MCA vice-president has maintained a low profile, politely declined all media interviews and insisted that he would only talk at the right time.
Early this week, he was returned unopposed as the Bakri division chief in Johore. In the process, he also reminded party members that age should not be a factor in determining a leader's ability to run for party post.
Chua denied that he raised the age issue for his own interest, explaining that his concern on the age issue has nothing to do with his undeclared intention to vie for a higher post.
"Not at all. Whether I run or not does not matter. I commented on it because if you look at the background of the activists, they are those considered by the younger people as old, but they are the people really working on the ground," he said.
Backing from Bakri division
Dubbed as the 'most watchable person' in the party elections this year, there have been much speculations on his move to go for broke by challenging party president Ong Ka Ting.
The Bakri division earlier this week has also passed a resolution to support him to contest any top post in the party elections but the politician wisely chose to keep his cards close to his chest.
"Obviously they have their own wishes, it's very natural. It's for me to decide, they also realise that. I have to make up my own mind. They are probably more anxious than I am, " was all he would say.
He claimed he has no idea when would be a suitable time to announce his decision.
"Seriously I don't know, (only) God knows," said the politician who has been actively involved in church work since last year following the kidnap and miraculous rescue of his son. There were also talks that his current office located in the high-end Sri Hartamas suburb in Petaling Jaya will soon be converted into his operation centre for the party polls.
"No, (this office) is for business. I wouldn't want to run an operation centre where nobody knows where is it," he replied with a laugh.
On talks that he, vice-president Dr Fong Chan Onn and secretary-general Dr Ting Chew Peh should be placed under the 'retirement category' of MCA leaders, Chua rebutted the criticisms, saying that many well known figures like the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, Malaysian ex-premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the current premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi were making contribution despite being deemed as "old" by the younger people.
"So the age argument is downright silly. Age should never be a criteria, it is about the ability to contribute that matters," he said.
His three choices
So what does the future in MCA holds for the veteran party leader who has served as vice-president of the party since 1990?
Apparently, he has three choices - to defend his vice president post, go for broke by taking on one of the top two posts, or to completely retire from politics.
However, Chua is not likely to retire yet as he himself had said so. Also, had he harboured any intention to retire in the near future, he would not have consented to be Bakri division chief, said a political observer when contacted.
"Apparently, Chua still has ambitions to play a higher role in politics," he added.
In the event that the former minister decides to defend the vice-presidency, he could also expect to find the going tough as nine other senior party leaders are also expected to fight for the four vice-president posts.
Chua's name first cropped up in 2002 as a possible challenger against former party president Dr Ling Liong Sik but the contest never took place because of a peace plan which quickly doused the then internal squabble in the party.
During the party's three-years long internal squabble, the party split into two open factions - Team A led by Ling while Team B led by his deputy-cum-nemesis, Lim Ah Lek. Chua aligned himself with Team B.
View Comments0