MCA polls may not be a calm affair
Recent developments indicate that MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong may not be alone vying for presidency.
THE MCA party polls to elect top leaders may not be a calm and boring affair, although most grassroots do not want to see acrimonious infighting after the party was almost wiped out by the May 9 general election.
Keen contest for the presidency, deputy and vice-president posts could be the highlight of the party election in November.
Deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, the only MCA candidate who managed to grab a parliament seat in the disastrous GE14, is seen by many observers as the logical future leader for the party.
Dr Wee declared he would go for MCA’s top post after president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai took responsibility for GE14’s defeat and announced he would not defend his post.
MCA saw its worst electoral performance in history after losing all but one parliament seat it contested under Barisan Nasional.
In GE14, Barisan lost power for the first time after 61 years of rule.
While many look up to Dr Wee for leadership as Liow lies low, it seems he may not be able to climb up the ladder that smoothly.
According to political talks, Gan Ping Sieu from MCA’s Kluang division has indicated to his grassroots he may go for the party’s top slot to inject life into the demoralised party.
In a WhatsApp interview with Sunday Star, Gan writes: “I am keeping my option open until after the divisional AGMs. I have been out in the cold for a good five years. It’s time for me to seek grassroots endorsement to go back to party mainstream.”
The party has just completed its branch elections with division elections starting from Aug26.
Elections for the national leadership will be held on Nov 4.
But it becomes ambiguous when Gan adds without clarifying: “MCA cannot afford an ugly divisive contest nor divisive politics as in the past. If we do not learn from our devastating defeat and do not reconnect with the people, the party will be doomed forever.”
The established lawyer, 52, has definitely experienced ups and downs in politics.
In 2004, he was elected Mengkibol state assemblyman.
From 2010 to 2013, he was elect- ed party vice-president and served as deputy minister of Youth and Sports.
In the last MCA election in late 2013, he lost to Liow in his quest for the top post.
But he is still heading MCA’s Syariah Law and Policy Implementation Taskforce.
Despite the setback in mainstream politics, Gan was chosen to be the Barisan candidate for Kluang parliament seat in GE14, but he lost.
According to a news report, contestants for the MCA top post may also include former party president Tan Sri Dr Chua Soi Lek, from Batu Pahat.
Quoting unnamed MCA grassroots in Perak, the report said there were calls for Dr Chua to return to helm the party.
Dr Chua, a former Health Minister, quit the Cabinet after he admitted to having an extramarital affair. He did not defend his post in MCA’s 2013 election due to a poor performance in the general election then.
The 71-year old is also remembered as the leader who led MCA in vacating Cabinet and government posts after the 2013 election.
But this was reversed by Liow in 2014.
Still, some grassroots prefer to remember the medical doctor’s vocal style.
“MCA needs a leader who dares to speak his mind and Dr Chua fits the bill,” one grassroots leader was quoted by a news report.
In response to Sunday Star’s query, Dr Chua said: “You can write what you think is right. I will not comment. I can only say a lot of divisions want me to contest, but I have not said anything.”
An MCA politician, who does not want to be named, says it is possible that “leaders are testing the ground to decide which position to go for”.
But in the eyes of political commentator Dr Oh Ei Sun, Dr Wee can fend off challengers.
“It would appear that Wee will continue to lead, as his potential challengers do not seem to be able to mount threatening challenges,” Oh tells Sunday Star.
Datuk Lawrence Low, the political secretary of Dr Wee, concurs with Dr Oh’s view.
“There is strong legitimacy in Dr Wee’s quest for the presidency. He rose from the grassroots and won the mandate in the last general election. He is the only elected federal representative in MCA,” Low argues.
Dr Wee, who retained his Ayer Hitam parliamentary seat with a slim majority of 303 votes, was MCA Youth leader before becoming deputy president in 2013.
After GE14, MCA set up a reform committee headed by Dr Wee to deliberate on MCA’s political future.
Holding the party’s second position, the other advantage enjoyed by the 50-year-old politician over others is that he has enjoyed a strong rapport with the Chinese community due to the portfolios he had held in the past.
He was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (2014-2018) and Deputy Minister of Education from 2008 to 2013.
While many other MPs from Barisan are still dreaming they are ruling the country, Dr Wee has quickly taken up the new role and become a fearless Opposition MP.
His performance in Parliament on Chinese education issues has won applause.
He has also boldly drawn a line between the MCA and the corruption-infested Umno, whose leaders are entangled in 1MDB scandal.
Dr Wee had famously stated “MCA will not foot the bill for Umno” in a Chinese daily, which means MCA has decided not to take into considera- tion Umno’s interest when there is a need for MCA to speak up.
In the last election, MCA had failed to speak up against the 1MDB scandal and unpopular laws initiated by Umno.
By kowtowing to Umno, MCA had caused Chinese voters to reject the party during elections.
Although Dr Wee seems to be “outstanding”, there is concern over his health due to the major operations he had undergone two years ago.
But the tough politician has shown he could endure the demanding schedule and campaign activities in Ayer Hitam for months.
According to Low, Dr Wee has no intention of choosing a deputy to form a “Dr Wee camp” to vie for various top positions in the MCA.
“He has said there should not be camp A and Camp B after the big blow in GE14. The party needs consolidation, and he can work with anyone as long as they can work together for the interest of the party and the country,” said Low.
If there are no camps, it is possible that many promising middleraking leaders may scramble for deputy president’s post as well as the vice-president positions.
The party election will be free for all.