opinion Believe it or not. The traditional arch rival of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), namely the ruling Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) on Wednesday issued a very rare and historic press statement to support DAP national chairman, Lim Kit Siang in his attempt to get nominated and re-elected into the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of DAP.

Since its inception in 1966, the Chinese-predominated multiethnic DAP has been focusing its energy and directing its strategy principally towards MCA, thus competing with it for Chinese support. Lim himself has been regarded as one of the most vocal critics of MCA for the past 35 years.

According to the statement signed by the National Publicity Bureau of MCA and published by the Chinese-language Sin Chew Jit Poh on June 25, the second largest component party of the Umno-dominated Barisan Nasional (BN) called on Lim 'not to bow to the pressure of the young Turks'.

MCA's press statement, of course, refers to the call by DAP youth chief, Teng Chang Khim for Lim, 60, to decline nomination in the coming party elections to pave the way for leadership rejuvenation.

MCA reasons that the young Turks in DAP like Teng Chang Khim would draw the opposition party closer to PAS in BA because their relation with PAS is 'very close'. MCA also suggests that Lim should 'make good use of his influence in the party (DAP) to induce the expulsion of PAS from BA'.

Youthful rebels

Superficially, Lim should feel proud because even DAP's arch rival, MCA, has to say something good about him and openly support him. However, it would be utterly silly and politically suicidal for any DAP leader, member and supporter, young or old, to think that MCA would give DAP sound advice and show support for Lim out of any noble or altruistic intentions.

There are two hypotheses that can explain the unusual and extraordinary support of MCA for the DAP chief.

One, as the long-time MCA president Ling Liong Sik is being increasingly besieged by the younger generation of MCA leaders like vice-president Chan Kong Choy and Youth chief Ong Tee Keat as well as their supporters, the Ling faction just does not want young DAP leaders like Teng to set a public standard or be a social role model for their youthful rebels to emulate.

The National Publicity Bureau of MCA is directed by a old Ling loyalist, Wong See Wah, who was a former deputy finance minister.

In fact, there is already a rather popular opinion within MCA advocating the tenure of top party leaders, including the president's, be limited to three terms. Last Sunday, an emergency motion to that effect was proposed at the annual general meeting of the Selangor MCA, nearly resulting in an open confrontation between reformers and loyalists.

Malaysiakini on Wednesday quoted MCA youth chief Ong Tee Keat as calling on DAP to allow its young leaders to express their opinions. Thus, generational empathy and solidarity have cut across partisan and ideological lines. ("MCA Youth battle heats up, Ong takes over crucial committee")

Impotently jealous

The second hypothesis is that MCA is genuinely worried that some (not all) younger Chinese leaders of DAP who are highly or professionally educated, socially presentable, culturally confident and multilingual, like lawyer Teng, 38, would pose a even more formidable challenge to MCA in the future, should they come to power in the party in the post-Lim Kit Siang-Karpal Singh era.

Teng, an ex-court interpreter and Lim's former political secretary, speaks and writes excellent Malay and Chinese-Mandarin and has been a favorite guest speaker at PAS, Keadilan and PRM public meetings held in the Malay hinterland, like prime minister's Dr Mahathir Mohamad's home state, Kedah.

Thus, it is to the strategic interest of MCA to see to it that young DAP leaders like Teng be finished off politically, preferably in the hands of his impotently jealous DAP 'comrades'.

If history is any guide, once Teng is sacked, demoted, ostracised or marginalised as a result of his youthfully frank and healthy opinion, MCA would then turn around and accuse Lim Kit Siang of being 'dictatorial' and 'intolerant of dissent'.

Lim as an elderly, respected and experienced leader of the party and the nation should be wise, statesmanly and farsighted enough to see that the future of his party would be in the good hands of intelligent, capable and socially presentable leaders - not blind, programmed and unquestioning self-styled loyalists, courtiers and praetorian guards.

Lim should see to it that the next generation of DAP leaders must spend their time in intellectual self-improvement and the patient building of party institutions, organisations, infrastructures and mechanisms instead of 'making friends' with him, Karpal Singh, Lim Guan Eng and Gobind Singh Deo. Lim must not be another Dr Mahathir with his many minions.

Opposition statesman

Whether Lim should or should not continue to be the paramount leader of the party is technically both his decision and that of the delegates to the party's annual conference. However, what is technically and legally right may not be politically wise in a changed and changing political environment.

In fact, Lim, as a man with a first-class brain and vast experience in politics, should not be fearful of being superceded politically or intellectually, by any of the younger leaders. Lim has no more need for outward titles or external designations to be recognised as great.

He no longer needs to compete with boys and girls. He should elevate himself from an opposition politician to an opposition statesman, a good and just father to all young oppositionists, not only in DAP, but also those in PAS, Keadilan and PRM who need a trustworthy, patient, prudent and disinterested adviser.

At this stage in life, Lim should perhaps start to interest himself in history, philosophy, the arts and religion to distill his vast partisan experiences, technical knowhow and his empirical knowledge accumulated over the past 35 years, into timeless wisdom.

As for the injustices done to him and his family by Umno and BN in the past, Lim must believe without question that God is just and will certainly pass appropriate judgements on his persecutors.

JAMES WONG WING ON, is a former Member of Parliament (1990-1995) and a former columnist for the Sin Chew Jit Poh Chinese daily. He read political science and economics at the Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. While in Sin Chew, he and a team of journalists won the top awards of Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) for 1998 and 1999.