MCA at Crossroads 3

October 18 - a date that will be etched deeply into the annals of MCA.

A new line-up of office bearers are expected to be elected for the chinese-based political party since the political tsunami of 308 where MCA's hit into one of the worst results in a general election. The support from the chinese voters for the party was at the lowest ebb and many of its candidates in traditonal strong hold seats were wipe out especially in the premier state of Selangor.

The only MCA survivor in Selangor parliamentary seat was Ong Tee Keat in Pandan. Tee Keat won mainly due to his examplary service and personality rather than the party he represents. Other major seats that MCA lost in Selangor includes Selayang (formerly represented by MCA deputy president Chan Kong Choy), Petaling Jaya ( candidate MCA VP Donald Lim Siang Chai), Kelana Jaya ( candidate Central Committee Lee Hwa Beng), PJ Utara (candidate Wanita deputy chair Chew Mei Fun), Serdang ( formerly held by former VP Yap Pian Hon) and Klang ( candidate Selangor chairman Ch'ng Toh Eng). Most of the seats were lost to political newbie, some of them just join politics for just few months or even weeks!

These results need to be taken into consideration when analysis are made on the impact of Dr Tan Yee Kew, the former wanita deputy chair and former Klang 3-term MP, cross over to PKR yesterday bringing with her more than 2000 new members. The figure is not a small number especially it represents about 15% of the membership in MCA Klang division. The impending crossover of Yee Kew to PKR were already expected by many and the non-attendance of about 30 MCA branches in Klang division AGM a week ago was a clear signal on the number of people crossing over.

At the Kelana Jaya division AGM, their long term chief Lee Hwa Beng was given the boot by it's members. The division members decided to vote in their division Wanita head Ong Chong Swen, who lost to Hannah Yeoh for the Subang Jaya state seat in the 308 election. Hwa Beng himself succumed to huge losses to the "week old" accidental politician Loh Gwo Burne. Consider that in the previous division election, Hwa Beng was in full grip of Kelana Jaya division and many of its branches were won unopposed by his men. It looks like the 5,000 strong members in the division wants a change too.

In the chinese community there is this belief that in every crisis there will be an opportunity. The party is at a crossroads facing many challenges from within and also externally. The thought of emerging factions in the party are bringing back the ghosts of the 1980's and the early 2000's. In the 1980's it was the Tan Koon Swan faction vs Neo Yee Pan group. The crisis nearly tears MCA aparts for good. MCA was saved not by it's own but by the deputy PM that time, Ghafar Baba. The main benefactor of that time was Ling Liong Sik, who surged to the top post after eventual winner Tan Koon Swan was charged in court and then jailed.

The battle between Team A led by Ling Liong Sik against Lim Ah Lek Team B in 2000's were finally solved after both decided to step down together and hand over the leadership to Ong Ka Ting and Chan Kong Choy in 2003. Now it's the turn of Ong Ka Ting to face a similiar challenge as his former boss. This time around Ka Ting is facing another member of Liong Sik inner circle, Dr Chua Soi Lek. Ka Ting will not be defending his presidency. The stage now is set for a battle between Ka Ting's "anointed" successor Ong Tee Keat and his "team" against Dr Chua Soi Lek alliance.

It is this sort of crisis that provides many people the wide chance to move up the ladder which in normal circumstance will not provide them the golden opportunity. If a person rides on the "successful" ship or alliances, they will be moving up fast. If they are in the losing team, it can derailed their political career unless of course they switch to the winning team after that.

The coming MCA election expected to see many new and not so new faces trying their luck either to move up the ladder or securing a seat in the national committee in the main body, Wanita and Youth sections. Whoever the winners, do expect more, especially the losers to crossover to other parties after October 18. - Loka