MCA president Ong Tee Keat was in my area twice in less than a month. Another MCA leader Liow Tiong Lai, was also there but he left immediately after Tee Keat arrives. Both just have a quick hand shake and parted immediately. Their relationship has turned from sweet to sour within months. Now it is actually tasteless.
Yesterday noon, Tee Keat was at the MCA Kelana Jaya Division again. This time it is for a very serious business, that is to launch his campaign to defend his presidency. For him to pick this division as his launching pad for his campaign says a lot about his influence in MCA Selangor. Not because of the wide support he has, but the lacked of it.
Need to remember that the former Kelana Jaya division chairman is non other Lee Hwa Beng, the current Port Klang Authority (PKA) chairman. While Lee was reappointed as PKA chairman by Ong, Hwa Beng was actually kicked out in 2008 as the division chairman by his own strong supporters include the current chairman Ong Chong Swen.
Selangor has one of the largest central delegates but Tee Keat does not have the largest cut. Former vice president Lim Siang Chai is still influential in some of the divisions while Wanita head Chew Mei Fun still has certain influence via the ladies wings. Other than Pandan, maybe Kelana Jaya provides a more secure platform for him to launch his campaign. Other divisions might not be that friendly.
With the entry of Ong Ka Ting into the presidential fray, the central delegates will be further split into smaller numbers for each factions. The well coordinated charade to bring in Ka Ting to fight for his former post must have surprised Tee Keat and rattle presidential wannabe Chua Soi Lek. By now both their strategists would be busy re-drawing their campaign strategies and reviewing alliances.
All the three factions will be hitting the road everyday until election eve, meeting central delegates or striking new deals amongst themselves. It will be a stressful and breathless two weeks. At any day, the election hopefuls especially the presidential candidates can be in at least three states within a day. It is amazing to see how their aides coordinates their bosses travel and transportation arrangements. And by the time the election is over, after counting the votes they received they will most probably counting the speeding tickets they get from the police or JPJ!
As for the central delegates they will be the kings of the month of March! They will get personal calls and SMS'es from ministers, deputy ministers and big businessmen and influential Chinese community leaders who are alligned with certain candidates. Many of the delegates will not be buying lunch or dinners for at least these two weeks, not because they can't afford it but they will be feted in posh restaurants or hotels by the candidates. By end of March many of these delegates will be gaining extra inches around their waist.
No wonder a tailor recently advised me to order more extra extra large sizes for the shirts that we ordered for our organisation. Her justification was that most people who are involved in Chinese based organisations are usually big size and pot bellied! But later we found out those XXL sizes do not have many takers. Maybe we are not delegates!- Loka
