Chinese bogeyman

No matter what the political divides are saying about each other, the signs and voices on the ground is telling the same thing. The rakyat is still supporting whichever party they supported during last year's general election.

With the Permatang Pasir result showing PAS candidate winning the by-election with a similiar percentage point of votes casts, the score is now 7-1 in favour of Pakatan Rakyat after eight by-elections since March 2008. With another two by-elections looming in Kedah and possibly one in Selangor, the stage fight for political supremacy and face saving antics in showdowns between rival parties will be an open show for all, albeit a stressful and frustrated one for the people.

As usual there will a bogeyman in the fight for this political war between Najib's Umno and Anwar's led PKR/Pakatan Rakyat. It it very clear all this by-elections are the platform for ring fights between Najib in one corner and Anwar on the other for the coveted premiership. Other parties are merely ring side supporters. As usual the bogeyman role will be specially alloted to the Chinese community. The losing candidate from Umno already spelt it out in his statement after his trouncing by the PAS candidate in Permatang Pasir. He blamed his loss on the Chinese voters for not voting him.

Since the self declared Chinese "taikor" MCA is in shambles now where internal fire is gutting the Wisma MCA, it won't be too long the party will go through another round of party war between two factions. When the MCA is in state of uncertainty, the vultures and hawks in Umno will strike when the water is still muddy by maneuvering the departure of MCA leaders whom they think are not submissive to Umno bullying and arrogant attitude.

Signs are there to lead to the unseen hand of Umno's meddling in the MCA affairs. One of it is by not defending or even supporting the Transport minister who is also MCA president Ong Tee Keat handling of the PKFZ fiasco. Even the appointment of MCA deputy president Dr Chua Soi Lek, who is at logger head with Tee Keat, as the specially created BN coordinator position is an attempt to slap Tee Keat's face in front of all BN component party leaders.

Whatever it is, knowing Tee Keat's strong stance in pursuing any controversial issue as matter of principle and accountability, I suspect that he will be able to survive this round of onslaughts from all corners. The worst kind of all betrayals is when he is stabbed on the back by his own comrades. Another round has just begun when six divisions in Perak demanded for his suspension as party president and minister.

Chinese politics especially in MCA has a history of periodic party upheavals where a line is drawn between two rival factions. MCA may be able to survive from the possibility of the party splitting into two where one group lead a mass departure of members from the party to form another. While the party may be intact after the storm, the same cannot be said about the Chinese community whom MCA self declared as their saviour and protector.

Time has changed. MCA may be able to stay intact after an internal strife, but the grassroot support from the Chinese would have shifted to DAP or even PKR for good. A point of no return. There will be no winners in MCA internal struggle, just losers left to lick their wounds and their pride. - Loka