Killing MCA, says Chua

> ‘It results from incumbents strengthening grip on party’

KUALA LUMPUR: Factionalism is slowly but surely killing MCA, said its former president Tan Sri Dr Chua Soi Lek (pix).

In his autobiography Like Me or Hate Me: Rising From The Political Ashes, he said factional politics in MCA is usually a result of an “incumbent” trying to strengthen his grip on the party while a challenger tries to dethrone him.

“Logic, love for the party and comrades, and even the ultimate purpose for which the party was established, are all disregarded.

“It is all about securing victory. It’s about the end justifying the means.”

In MCA politics, it is “common for the winner to take all” saying that influential positions at the central, state and division levels are filled by the “president’s men” often a result of loyalty to the incumbent, he added.

“It is common to see see MCA grassroots leaders appointed to local, state or federal positions who never seem to do anything other than officiate at functions.

“Even the prospect of a relatively insignificant appointment such as a ‘ketua masyarakat’ (Community Head), or councillor can be sufficient to excite some MCA grassroots leaders.

“It does not matter that the appointees are unfit for the job, either academically or linguistically,” he said, adding the list also includes senators and even ministers.

Chua said senators and ministers practise a policy of speaking only when spoken to because many of them have a poor command of Bahasa Malaysia and English, adding answering questions in the Dewan Rakyat or the Dewan Negara is therefore an enormous challenge.

“Any soalan tambahan (additional questions) raised by MPs (in the Dewan Rakyat) are therefore met with a promise that a written reply will be provided at a later date.

“The real reason, of course, is that these ministers either don’t know the subject matter, or have difficulty expressing themselves in Bahasa Malaysia or English for that matter, hence their reliance on written replies prepared for them by ministry officials.”

“Such leaders survive politically because their lack of competency, intelligence and even integrity is outweighed by their blind loyalty to the president.

“As for the president, he may seek to justify his choices by referring to the need to ensure unity and stability in the party.

“Factionalism is slowly but surely causing MCA to shrink. Truly talented people are unwilling to join.”