Talking About Soldiers on Paper

A new MCA leadership has been elected on Oct 19 with a mixed of characters and players. Ong Tee Keat as expected by political observers beat Chua Jui Meng for the presidency. Dr Chua Soi Lek dramatically pipped Ong Ka Chuan to be the new deputy president while Dr Ng Yen Yen created MCA history when she secured a seat as the vice president. As an initiative for reform and planning for the future, many new and young faces were given the opportunity to be elected as central committee members.

What will be MCA's future under the new leadership of Ong Tee Keat, the so-called "lone-ranger" ? He is now the numero uno of the 3rd largest Chinese political party in the world. What can the Malaysian Chinese and people of other races expected from him?

Tee Keat is a survivor in MCA's politics of patronization and "with us or against us" culture. His differences with former MCA president Ling Liong Sik is well-known to all. He climbed the political ladder step by step, having tasted his first public office election during the Ampang by-election in 1989 which he won by beating former MCA's Selangor leader Dr Lim Ann Koon. When he was first elected MCA Youth chairman in 1999, he was not in the cai tan (menu) or the preferred choice. He beat Loke Yuen Yow, a close associate of Ling Liong Sik.

Being tri-lingual, he was appointed as Parliament's Deputy Speaker after he won the Ampang by-election. After the 1999 general election he was appointed as Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports and the minister that time was Hishammudin Tun Hussein. His boss in the ministry was changed after the 2004 election when former Umno Puteri head, Azalina Othman was appointed as minister. It is well-known amongst the ministry officials and youth leaders at that time, the short stint reporting to Azalina was not a comfortable one for both of them.

After being elected MCA vice president in 2005, a cabinet re-shuffle in 2006 moves Tee Keat to the Higher Education Ministry under Umno's Mustapha Mohd. His position in the Youth Ministry was given to the MCA Youth head then Liow Tiong Lai. It was during this time that Tee Keat had a war of words with the Education Minister Hishammudin, his former boss in the Youth Ministry, regarding allocation for a school. He was asked to apologized but he stuck to his grounds.

Now he is elected MCA president, his seniority in the Cabinet will be trajected to third in terms of seniority in the Barisan Nasional government. It will be interesting to know how is Hishammudin and Azalina going to feel now. Their former deputy is now their senior in Cabinet!

Another person to look out for is the just elected to first placed vice president Kong Cho Ha, the current Deputy Finance Minister. Based on convention, will he be appointed as full Minister? If he is, will it be the minister position currently held by Ong Ka Chuan, the defeated candidate for deputy president? Or Chua Soi Lek will demand for a senatorial appointment and go back to the Cabinet via the back door by clamouring for Ong Ka Chuan's position?

One thing is for sure, the Cabinet re-shuffle is imminent. Latest expected to be early April 2009 after the Umno's general assembly in late March 2009 where many current ministers are expected to be dumped by Najib and replace with the president's men.

No matter who is appointed as ministers, it will be of no consequence if the rhetorics during the MCA's AGM is not follow through and translated to actions and results as expected by not only their members but most important of all the people of Malaysia.

Ong Tee Keat is now in the driver seat. He have the chance to turn his linguistics aspirations into reality. He has been vocal on various issues when he was the MCA Youth chairman, demanding answers and accountability on every opportunity. Now everyone will be focusing on him, demanding the same that he once expected others to do.

Tee Keat, keep to your words and conscience. Translate your dreams to actions. Many of those that once work together with you for the well-being of the young people of Malaysia will be watching with high expectations.

As you once said to me, " There is no use of talking about soldiers on paper". I am now returning those same words to you! - Loka