Soi Lek's woman factor

Did Chua Soi Lek really wins the MCA presidency? Many may still be wondering how can it happened when polls reports shows majority of the people wants Ong Tee Keat to be retained. The results clearly tells the people that the MCA delegates don't understand or give a damn to what the people wants. It is what the delegates wants that matters! The people are fools, only the delegates knows how to make wise decisions!

Did Soi Lek really wins the presidency on his own because the delegates supports him? Firstly, he won only 38.9% of the total votes casted and more importantly, the votes was most probably not for him but are sympathy votes for his wife! Everyone can notice that Soi Lek took his wife Wong Sek Hin along when lobbying for votes. Did Ong Ka Ting wife's, Wendy Ong or Ong Tee Keat wife's Jane Ong openly tag along during their hubby's campaign trail?

Well, it seems women plays an important role in his political career as it looks like the rise of this guy to power is due to a woman and his fall from power too was caused by a woman. Now, will his re-entry to the Cabinet facilitated by another powerful woman who is somebody else's wife? People who have similiar experience and interest might be able to clique together. As the proverb says, "birds of a feather flock together"! -Loka

Pot bellied delegates

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

Sin Chew and free paper

Suddenly a copy of newspaper was pushed over to my hand and I heard a voice saying, "it's free". Before I can even say anything, a copy of the  Sin Chew Daily which is the highest circulated Chinese vernacular newspaper in the country was already in my hands. Initially I thought it was the free Chinese language paper launched recently.

I took a quick turn and saw a man wearing a  T- shirt with Sin Chew emblazoned on it giving out today's paper to everyone in sight - free of charge. Within less than five minutes all the lunch patrons in the coffeeshop was either holding a copy of the paper or laid on the table.

After I took my seat at the only unoccupied table, I have a quick browse of the said "free" paper. Not that I read it, but just to look through on some statistics and photographs related to the UPSR results announced yesterday.

Thinking about it later, I have a hunch that the reason the Sin Chew paper was distributed free today was related to the spat between the paper and the MCA central committee member Ti Lian Ker. Ti had claimed the paper are used to promote the hidden agenda to discredit MCA's president Ong Tee Keat.

Is Sin Chew feeling the heat that the public are upset with its recent purported agenda against Ong Tee Keat and their circulation are dropping by the day. By giving out free papers, Sin Chew hopes its agenda will continue to be read by the public and keep its leading circulation status intact.

Maybe I will visit the coffeeshop again to tomorrow to see if I will be given another free copy of the Sin Chew Daily News.

New Chinese-based Party

Are we looking at the birth of another political party to look after the Chinese interest?

Since majority of the Chinese are already disillusioned with the MCA, the Chinese community will be looking for an alternative new party to look after their interest. Is that what Umno telling MCA's president Ong Tee Keat that MCA is dispensable and can be replaced and forsaken anytime if Tee Keat do not toe the BN, err.....Umno line.

Even though Umno leaders are emphasizing the importance of MCA's unity and stability in the interest of Barisan Nasional, the reality is more on the hidden but well known agenda of Umno's ability to shadow MCA's leadership than anything else. Have we ever heard of any comments from other BN component leaders on the current MCA leadership struggle. None actually. Or maybe just from the chap who is embroiled in the PKFZ fiasco.

It will not be surprising to all if a new Chinese based party is established and given an instant birth certificate of registration after this November 28. Nov 28 is the day when the Liow Tiong Lai's faction called for the 2nd EGM. If the 2nd EGM fails to materialised due to lack of support from the delegates, it spells doomed for Liow and his supporters. Unless of course if Ong Tee Keat is forced to eat humble pie during the meeting called by Najib before Nov 28 and given the ultimatum to give up or get out.

The newly set up Malaysia Makkal Sakti Party was launched by Najib in October this year which clearly gave signal to Samy Vellu's MIC that his party is not indispensable from BN.

But Umno is barking at the wrong tree when it says the Chinese will not support the BN due to MCA's infighting. The reality is that the Chinese voters rejected BN not because of MCA's weaknesses as the main cause but more to the unfair policies, bullying and arrogant attitude of Umno. This was clearly the message in last year's general election when the DAP called upon the Chinese community to teach Umno a lesson by voting out MCA's candidates whom mostly stood in Chinese majority seats or seats with substantial Chinese votes. It is near impossible for the Chinese to vote out any Umno candidates as their candidates always stood in Malay majority seats.

In last year's election, Umno loses in some of their traditional strong hold seats due to the swing of the Malay electorates to PAS or PKR candidates. If Umno thinks that it can represents the Chinese community directly by sidelining the MCA, will Najib takes the challenge to stand in Seputeh against Teresa Kok and Umno deputy president Muhyddin Yassin challenges Lim Kit Siang in Ipoh Timur. If they wins, that will surely proves their support and worth amongst the Chinese community. - Loka

The MCA turncoat turncoats

Rising, rising, rising. Falling, falling, falling. Rising. Falling. Rising. Falling.

When Liow Tiong Lai wakes up this morning after a long night with his supporters he would realised that he is no more the deputy president but just one of MCA's six vice presidents.

Liow Tiong Lai must be so far the shortest serving deputy president of MCA. Nineteen days to be exact.The day he was elected by the MCA Central Committee on Oct 15 to Nov 3, 2009 when he was unceremoniously unseated by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) through a letter delivered to MCA headquarters which decided that Dr. Chua Soi Lek is still the deputy president.

Liow who has been hoping Ong Tee Keat will quit as MCA president after the 10 Oct EGM did not expect this sudden "demotion" in less than three weeks. If Tee Keat had quitted, Liow would have secured the presidency on a silver platter without going through a proper election by delegates in an AGM.

Even though Liow reserves his right to challenge the ROS decision, it is doubtful he will succeed as ROS based its decision to re-instate Chua Soi Lek on the MCA constitution. The only chance for Liow to get back the deputy president position, which never his anyway, is to contest for it in the next party election. That will be two years from now if his groups fails to call for an EGM to adopt a resolution to re-elect a new central committee.

It will not be surprising if Liow himself  will be tasting the same medicine he prescribed to Ong Tee Keat recently when his so-called comrades within his own group will be turning against him soon.  Who will be the turncoat turncoats? It is all man for himself. Those expected to abandon ship will be those with government positions who are at great risk of being dropped in the next Cabinet reshuffle if they are not in Tee Keat-Soi Lek's team.

Those at risks includes Deputy Minister of Finance Chor Chee Heung, Deputy Minister of Higher Education Hou Kok Chung and Youth and Sports Deputy Minister Wee Jeck Seng. If these three are sacked, their replacements will be selected from amongst CC members from Tee Keat-Soi Lek's team which includes just appointed CC member Labis MP Chua Tee Yong, former deputy finance minister Loke Yuen Yow, former deputy information minister Donald Lim, former Kelana Jaya MP Loh Seng Kok and former Indera Mahkota assemblyman Ti Lian Ker. This will reflect on the greater unity plan which give priorities to accommodate Chua Soi Leks's supporters. Those who are not MPs' will be appointed as a senator which quota for MCA is still available.

Those in Liow's team like Liow himself, Youth Chief Wee Ka Siong and Wanita Chief Chew Mei Fun are expected to keep their cabinet positions due to their senior party positions. But Liow is expected to be relieved of his duty as Penang state committee chief and Wee dropped as Malacca's state chief. Ong Tee Keat himself is expected to resumed his control over Selangor which current chairman Wong Foon Meng who is also MCA Secretary General has not been able to lord over the big players in Selangor. As widely speculated, Chua Soi Lek is expected to be returned his crown  in the Johore State Committee.

MCA Wanita's Secretary General and deputy Information and Culture Minister Heng Saik Kie was rewarded for her unwavering support for Ong Tee Keat throughout the crisis. Heng was appointed as the Information Bureau Chief replacing Liow's man Lee Wei Kiat. Heng's sudden ascendency to a senior post in the CC will be a challenge to Wanita chief Chew Mei Fun. Will a desperate Chew try to clip Heng's wings by removing her as Wanita's secretary general and turn the women wing topsy-turvy?

Ong Tee Keat's sword is already drawn and some heads are already on the ground and many more are expected to be on the chopping board in a couple of days. Once the new list of cabinet members are unveiled in the expected cabinet reshuffle after the  review of each minister's KPI this month, Ong Tee Keat will know by then how far is Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak going to back him up for a stronger and united MCA.- Loka

Power of Tee Keat's prayers

Three months ago I wrote about Ong Tee Keat's prayer beads which he wore on his wrist that provides him with the protection from evil forces. Basing on the development in MCA for the last two weeks, it is obvious his beads is still working well for him.

Some may dismiss this as mere superstitious belief and credit his greater unity plan with Chua Soi Lek to his remarkable political acumens which left his latest political enemies and traitors high and dry. Before anyone declares that it was just another political conflict and manoeuvring, it it necessary to reflect on the statement by MCA Central Committee member Ti Lian Ker who reportedly said there was evilness during the CC meeting on Oct 15. Ong Tee Keat not only managed to protect himself from these evil forces but turn the tables on these evil forces by declaring he will be calling another EGM via his presidential powers.

After getting to see wolves hastily removing their sheep's skin in front of his own eyes, Tee Keat's mind was still in a state calmness to give these pack of wolves a good lesson which earlier were ready to jump onto their biggest prey and devour it. At this stage his positive energy is still enveloping and protecting him from the evil forces but he will need to be more cautious and wiser in determining those who are the real sheeps and those who are actually wolves in sheep's skin.

With more prayers, right thoughts, compassion and faith, may he find solitude and peace in his endeavours. - Loka

MCA fires BN?

Ong Tee Keat is keeping his agenda for the upcoming MCA's EGM close to his heart even as supporters of Dr. Chua Soi Lek is trying to prise open the closely guarded resolutions.

Two of the agendas already expected to be tabled concerns the endorsement on the sacking of deputy president Chua Soi Lek and the Port Klang Free Trade Zone debacle. Another possible resolution on the drafting board will be a vote of confidence on Ong Tee Keat's leadership in relation to the alleged donation of RM10 million by Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd CEO Tiong King Sing.

Basing on Tee Keat's political acumens and straight forward courage for change,  is there a possibility another resolution that will create waves throughout the nation will also be put to the 2400 delegates to vote? The resolution will be similiar to the controversial opinion poll which was conducted in Tee Keat's blog after the 308 Political Tsunami. The opinion poll was taken out from his blog after it became an issue especially amongst Umno's supporters. The poll result shows about 76% of 2,525 respondents are in favour of MCA withdrawing from BN.

It will not be surprising if Tee Keat decides to throw the question on whether MCA should quit Barisan Nasional to the delegates during the EGM. By having the earlier "MCA quits BN" opinion poll in his blog even before his ascendency to the presidency, it reflects his inner feelings to seek direction on the matter.

The obvious lacked of support from his BN Cabinet colleagues on the PKFZ fiasco and the existence of under current which is stacking against him amongst BN members especially those linked to the fiasco will be a point of consideration for him to put the quit BN agenda for debate. With the rumour mills circulating that MCA representation in the Cabinet will be reduced and he himself will be dropped from Najib's Cabinet surely will put more fire in his belly to unleash the first strike before being shown the door.

After fighting and winning his political wars against various opponents in recent years, some of them single handedly, those who expect Ong Tee Keat to throw down his towel and surrender meekly like some of his predecessors will be in for a surprise. - Loka

Tee Keat VS Evil Forces

MCA president Ong Tee Keat

Ong Tee Keat declares that he is a follower of the Buddhist faith. He religiously wears a prayer beads on his left hand wherever he goes to protect himself from negative forces. The rosary was given to him by his spiritual master some years ago. It seems to work so far. He had gone through the Team A and Team B political wars. When he was MCA's Youth chairman he went through unscathed during the 803 Incident. The incident during the Youth AGM held on Aug 3, 2001 at the Flamingo Hotel in Ampang saw the youth supporters of the rival teams throwing chairs at each other. Ong Tee Keat just sat firmly on the stage during the fracas and later took control of the situation.

The blogger with Ong Tee Keat during a function when he was still the Deputy Youth Minister. The rosary is on his left wrist.

Tee Keat is known as a politician that strike things on his own disregarding whose tail he steps on. He openly demands explaination from the MCA leadership when Ling Liong Sik was the then president regarding the Chang Min Thien Foundation issue. He even criticized his own party leaders in 2002 for acquiring the Nanyang Press Holdings Bhd. At one time he even claims there are hidden black hands involved within MCA. He was elected as MCA's vice president in 2005 and subsequently as the president in 2008, standing on his own platform without openly alligning himself with any factions in the party.

Winning the MCA presidency

His recent claims that there are negative forces which are trying to bring harm and dethrone him from the MCA presidency cause alarm at least within MCA and the Chinese community if not the nation. The message he is trying to convey to the public is that he is besieged from all corners, from internal and also external forces. The situation must be so serious that it entails all MCA ministers and deputy ministers to issue a joint statement to support his leadership, of course minus his estranged deputy president who is not a minister.

Other then providing a united stand for their besieged president, the supporting statement also implies that Ong Tee Keat is not getting the necessary open supports from his non-MCA cabinet ministers. Umno ministers has been eerily silent on Tee Keat's handling of the PKFZ issue which creates an impression something is brewing within Umno's inner circle. Even Prime Minister Najib Razak had announced all matter related to PKFZ will be handled by Tee Keat. Wow! how statesman-like.

Maybe non-MCA ministers or deputy ministers are washing their hands off from the PKFZ issue because they are in the position to know it involves many big guns within the BN family. These politicians are just playing it safe i.e. do not throw stones if you are staying in glass houses. It seems Tee Keat will have to do it alone in facing the PKFZ debacle. Even if his comrades openly gave their open support it will not means anything if his other cabinet colleagues are just watching from the sidelines. Furthermore the open support from his comrades can be suspected knowing that his downfall will provide an opportunity for his comrades to move up the party hierarchy. That's the reality in poltical parties.

It looks like Tee Keat is fighting the war alone and need to watch his back more seriously. Maybe his prayer beads will protects him from the evil forces, just as it has been all this while. - Loka

MCA Shadow Committee

Another small group of MCA members led by an academician Dr Daphne Loke teamed up today to form an Integrity Watch Group to oversee and monitor the development and performance of its leaders and related issues. These loose group of mostly obscure MCA members hopes to analyse issues concerning MCA and its leaders and then provide the necessary suggestions to improve the party.

With the current "tense" atmosphere between president Ong Tee Keat and deputy president Dr Chua Soi Lek, it will not escape the observation of members and outsiders that this group functions as a watch-dog on the various committee and bureaus within MCA especially the Government Policy Monitoring Committee headed by Soi Lek.

Is it possible that this new loose group, while claiming to be concerned members of MCA is actually a front to shadow the Government Policy Monitoring Committee's to ensure its' actions are within acceptable level of MCA? - Loka

Beyond Kuala Terengganu by-election

The coming by-election in January 17 next year for the Kuala Terengganu parliamentary will not only a test for the selected candidates but also for other interested parties and individual politicians.

The contest is expected to be a direct fight between Umno/BN against PAS/PR although independent candidates cannot be written off as a spoiler. The late Razali Ismail of Umno won the seat with a slim majority in the last election and do not expect a big majority for the winner this time around. Historically this seat has been changing hands between Umno and Pas with slim majorities.

The anointed PM-to-be Najib Razak will be hard-up to retain this seat as a moral booster for him to take over from Abdullah Badawi in coming March. Following tradition, Najib is expected to lead the BN campaign and he cannot risked being slewed by PR in this by-election as happened in Permatang Pauh. It will be some sort of a vote of confidence for Najib if BN wins but if Pas grabbed the seat, it can be taken as a cue that the people are having doubts about his leadership.

Umno as a party will be pressurized to take this seat. Since 308 general election, this embattled party has been whacked by it's component and opposition parties on various contentious issues. If it lose this seat it will add more misery to it's already wounded image as the dominant party of BN. To ensure this did not happens, the party will be pulling out all it's tricks under it's sleeves and playing to the gallery of Malay majority voters.

Politicians aiming for posts in the March Umno election who can spare their internal party campaigning hours will be trooping to Kuala Terengganu to make their presence felt and many won't be suprised if words coming from their mouth are to boost their standing in the eyes of Umno delegates rather than fishing for voters of the constituency. Do not be alarmed if there arises many copycats of the infamous Ahmad Ismail as in the Permatang Pauh by-election. The aim is to score political points for themselves, not for Umno or BN.

The Bandar state seat within Kuala Terengganu is the only seat held by MCA as most Chinese voters are concentrated in this urban area. This will be the primary area which MCA will set up their operation center. Basing on the slim majority in previous Kuala Terengganu contests, the Chinese votes will be crucial for both sides of the political divide. Can MCA deliver the Chinese votes under the new leadership of Ong Tee Keat? This will be Tee Keat's first foray in a by-election since elected MCA president and he need to prove his leadership not only via his linguistic style but to deliver the Chinese votes to Umno.

On the other hand, Tee Keat most probably will not be actively campaigning in KT but dispatch his trusted ally Wong Foon Meng to lead the MCA campaign. Although Foon Meng is not considered a heavyweight, to the surprised of many he was picked by Tee Keat to be MCA's secretary general after the party's election. As the third in line of the party hierachy and also a KT local boy who was also a former state exco, Foon Meng is expected to be given the mandate to lead MCA's campaign in KT. It will be an opportunity for him to justified to some of his comrades who is still doubtful of his capability that he qualifies to be the secretary general and also chairman of the MCA Selangor state committee.

As for PAS, the main challenge will be on the shoulder of it's president Hadi Awang who is based in Terengganu. He lost Terengganu to Umno in 2004 after winning it in 1999 and was it's Menteri Besar. Then Pas Terengganu performed lack-lustrely in 2008 when Pakatan Rakyat took four states while retaining Kelantan. Hadi Awang have to redeem his pride and stature not only in the eyes of his comrades in Pas but also his counterparts in Pakatan Rakyat.

It is very obvious that Hadi Awang presence in PR are not significant, most of the time Pas face in PR are represented by it's deputy president Nasharuddin Isa or some other second liners. It will Hadi's fight for his national political standing especially in the opposition front which is dominated by Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Kit Siang.

With 11 days of campaigning and impact to the stakeholders, do expect the monsoon season in the east coast state to be more ferocious than usual. - Loka

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