MCA vice-president Chua Jui Meng is an "empty" leader with a "hypocritical" manifesto, and has no chance of wresting the presidency from incumbent Ong Ka Ting in the party polls next month.

Political and economic commentator Dr Hoo Ke Ping, who offered this caustic observation, said Chua would be lucky if he could get 800 of the 2,003 delegates to vote for him.

"If he can secure 35 percent of the votes, he can already call it a success," he said at a talk on the MCA polls held at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (SCAH) in Kuala Lumpur last Friday.

Unabashedly calling himself an advisor to the party and its former president Dr Ling Liong Sik, Hoo (photo, standing) said the free-for-all contests for several top posts are the after-effects of the protracted struggle between Teams A and B.

"The division (between the rival factions) remains strong," he stressed.

He cited the MCA Selangor convention as an example where support was only pledged for president Ong and not for his deputy Chan Kong Choy.

"The battle between Ong and Chua will be determined by the influence of Team A (which controls most of the resources) and thus Chua will lose," he said.

Simmering tensions in MCA boiled over when the party purchased two Chinese dailies in May 2001. 'Team A' was then led by Ling (left) and the rival team by his deputy Lim Ah Lek (right).

Following a peace accord brokered by former Barisan Nasional chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Team A's Ong was made president while his deputy Chan was appointed from Team B (and will now be challenged by Team A-linked Dr Ting Chew Peh).

Chua, who is aligned to Team B, was further attacked by Hoo who said his manifesto has failed to deliver the goods.

"MCA's constitution is in need of much reform especially on the issue of an over powerful president but Chua (photo) has failed to raise the issue," he pointed out.

Hoo also claimed that certain delegates are "unwilling" to meet Chua.

"Chua is not well prepared and Ong's good performance during his 27-month term has made him formidable," he said.

Typical mindset

However, SCAH youth vice-secretary Ding Lee Leong mocked Ho for only being able to point out Chua's weaknesses and not his merits.

He described Hoo's remarks as "reflecting the typical mindset of MCA members".

"At least Chua has managed to put out a manifesto," he told the 200-strong audience.

Ding also refuted statements by several MCA commentators that Ong's leadership is more democratic since he has rejected 'menu politics'.

"Actually the 'open pledge' practice (currently) demonstrated throughout the country is worse than menu politics," he said.

It has been alleged that some division chiefs were pressured by the incumbent leadership to openly declare their support for certain leaders.

"Ong rejected 'menu politics' because the strategy does not favour his interests. There are too many candidates. If Ong had tabled a 'menu', he would have offended candidates who were not listed and risked them switching camp," said Ding.

By rejecting 'menu politics', he added, Ong (photo) has been trying to build an image that he is democratic.

However, Ding reminded the audience not to forget that Ong himself rose to power in the party because of 'menu politics'.

"That is why he could leap-frog many other veteran leaders in the party," he said.

Triad list?

The other two panelists at the talk were MCA deputy presidency candidate Chan Tse Yuen and social commentator Gavin Tee Swee Heng.

Tee (photo) touched on the issue of open pledges, saying "if state chiefs could declare their support for certain leaders, what is the point of having central delegates?"

He also criticised the 'menu' tabled by MCA Wanita in its election as it had denied the central delegates' their right and neglected the voice of the minority.

Meanwhile, Tse Yuen lambasted the party president as being undemocratic and not transparent.

He said Ong's remark that "the Number One and Number Two posts cannot be subjected to chaos" as being a form of 'menu politics'.

Tse Yuan (photo, standing) was also curious as to why candidates are facing difficulties in accessing the list of central delegates.

"Why is it so secretive? Is it a national security issue? Or some underground triad list that cannot be made known?" he asked.

The talk was jointly organised by Oriental Daily News and several Selangor Chinese guilds.