No need for a mediator, says Soi Lek

Newly-elected MCA deputy president Dr Chua Soi Lek today said there was no need for a third person to be a mediator between him and party president Ong Tee Keat in order to end an on-going feud in the party’s leadership.

He said this in response to party treasurer Tee Hock Seng’s offer to mediate in the ‘cold war’ between him and Ong. Tee reportedly wanted to get both men to sit down for a meal and a heart to heart talk.

Even though it was earlier reported that Chua was open to the suggestion, he today said it would be "a sad day for MCA" if a third person had to intervene in the matter.

"We are not small boys. We claim to be leading the second largest political party in the country and if we don’t know how to work together and need a third person to intervene, I think it is a sad day for MCA," Chua said at a press conference held in Wisma MCA this morning.

He added that the most important element in working together was sincerity.

"Sincerity can be reflected by actions. This co-operation is not a question of if Tee Keat wins, Soi Lek loses, or if Soi Lek wins, Tee Keat loses. The question is, if we do not co-operate, the (whole) party loses," said Chua.

When asked if he could detect any sincerity on Ong’s part, he said, "Maybe I’m getting old because I do not feel it."

In a report in the New Straits Times today, Tee admitted that there was a lot of tension between the two leaders, but said the situation was not as bad as it appeared in the media.

"They are not holding any grudges. Nor is the tiff causing a split in the party or reviving the Team A, Team B feud of yesteryear," he was quoted as saying.

Ong had previously referred to the former health minister as a "morally-tainted blogger" and Chua had retaliated by describing Ong, who is transport minister, as a "puppet candidate of the previous leadership".

Chua was also asked to comment on Ong’s decision to keep him out of the Johor MCA line-up.

Ong had instead named Bekok state assemblyman Tan Kok Hong and Paloh assemblyman Hoo Seong Chang as the deputy state liaison chairman and honorary secretary respectively, despite Johor being Chua’s stronghold.

Ong had insisted that Chua was not being sidelined, saying, "He is now in charge of a bureau that has wide-ranging importance", in reference to Chua's appointment as chairman of the party's government policy monitoring bureau.

Chua, who is former Labis MP, today remained silent when asked if he was being sidelined.

"I do not want to say anything about that as I will let the press, the party and society interpret whether I’m being sidelined or not," said Chua.