Malaysian first and foremost

Today is Malaysia Day. It ought to be a celebration for all who declares themselves as Malaysians. For those who are unable to declare themselves as Malaysian first, we can't fault them if they can't comprehend the special meaning of this day because their heart is so much deluded and blinded with parochialism. Today in history was the beginning of a new era where free nations from both side of the South China Sea embraced each other as one nation.

After 47 years, today is the first time in the nation's history that this historical date has been declared and celebrated as a public holiday throughout the nation even though Sarawak and Sabah has been celebrating this day with much vigour and pomp before. Why is it there exists this sense of guilt that those from Peninsula Malaysia has not been placing the level of importance and weightage on this date in comparison to our brothers in Sarawak and Sabah?

Maybe for some this date is also a taboo date which shall not be ever mentioned or celebrated due to the embarassing failed event that happens in 2008 when a political leader declares that the federal government will change hand when a bunch of froggie lawmakers switches camp. At last the federal government did not change hand, only leaving red faces in many and a blacklisted date.

In the absence of political agendas it is with great hope that this special day shall not be treated as a political gambit but as the day when each and everyone will standup and declares that all of us are Malaysian first and foremost, no more no less where all across the South China Sea are brothers and shall be treated and respected as one. - Loka

Najib joins in Wesak procession

If anyone from Umno dares to claim that attending an other than Islam religious procession is haram then they should tell it straight to Najib Razak's face. Hold on a minute! Is Najib really attending a Tua Pek Kong procession or it is just part of the political charade especially during a critical by-election that will gauged the support of the Chinese community in Sibu particularly and Sarawak generally.

As I had wrote previously, not a single serving Prime Minister ever openly walks into a Buddhist main shrine hall, and the current PM is inclusive. Now, will Najib joins in the procession on the evening of 28th May 2010 during the Wesak celebrations at the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Kuala Lumpur? Maybe another charade for the Buddhist community. But are the Buddhist community so naive or is it just a few who will grabbed the opportunity to rub shoulder with the PM at the expense of the community's dignity and wisdom? - Loka

Noose over Mei Fun's head

After I delivered my speech during a youth program at Universiti Malaya, I returned to my seat beside hers at the VIP row. Then she asked me in Mandarin," Are you a comrade"? What she meant was whether I am a member of her party, the Malaysian Chinese Association. I replied in the negative. The conversation happens few years ago when I was still the Malaysian Youth Council vice president.

A couple of weeks later, when I met her again on some other religious related matters, she suggested that I should get myself involved in the newly established Crisis Relief Squad of MCA which she was the founding head. I just listened without giving any response to her. At that period of time, I was comfortable running programs for the youth via the Malaysian Youth Council. Joining a political party or its community service arm was not an option then.

Now the person who asked me whether I am her comrade is staring at a possible change of political life in the next few days. Chew Mei Fun the MCA Wanita Head already put her head in the noose when she declared last year she would quit her post if the sex DVD tainted Chua Soi Lek becomes MCA president. Soi Lek was elected the president in the recent AGM. Politics is an art of turning the impossible to possible and vice versa.

The noose on Mei Fun's head are getting tighter by the day. It is now up to her to decide whether to be a person with integrity who honours one's word by pulling the rope or be known as a typical loose-mouthed politician whose words are just worth a pinch of salt when she unleashed the noose by giving all sorts of excuses!

By pulling the rope and make her breathless, will it be the end of her political career? Will she lose out on her political clout and influence if she quits as the Wanita head and also deputy minister's position? Not necessarily if we gauged MCA politics especially basing on recent events. What's the fuss all that about if MCA delegates can even voted in a person who quits all positions due to a sex scandal two years after the incident?

While quitting all her positions will reduced her influence and authority, she may as well be looking at a bigger role for herself in the next party election. By that time the delegates will be reminded that she is a person with integrity and trustworthiness who did what she committed to the people. Her stature might just grow higher by the next election.

On the other hand, if she decided to keep her positions with whatever reasons she might cooked up with she might as well lost her dignity and respect that other people especially her members had on her. She may reasoned that her Wanita members wants her to stay because her position is elected by Wanita wing and not appointed by Chua Soi Lek. Whatever her reasons, the stain will be there.

The delegates might forgive a person for his sexual indiscretion as a personal misadventure. But for the Chinese community, trust and integrity are two very important aspects which once lost will be very difficult to reclaim back. Mei Fun knows that. Her political foes knows that too. But the rope is in her hands. To pull or not to pull, it's all up to her. - Loka

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

Dead man don't SMS

If an SMS can convinced the Perlis State Assembly Speaker that the Titi Tinggi state seat is still not vacant, what happens if the Lower House Speaker receives a similar SMS from the a hand phone number similiar to those belonging to the late Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad, the PKR Hulu Selangor MP who passed away yesterday?

Will the Lower House Speaker too will announce to the world that the Hulu Selangor seat is still not vacant? I doubt he will be like the Perlis Umno Speaker. For sure by today the Election Commission will be duly informed on the demised of Dr Zainal and the casual vacancy of the seat due to his death.

After the false alarm caused by the "fickle minded" Yip Sun Onn, this time around the country definitely going to have the 10th by-election since the last general election. Death man will not be fickle minded and changes his mind or listens to telephone calls from anybody, neither the PM nor the Opposition Leader. Death man will not pick up calls although the fickle minded "quit-no-quit" YB too allegedly did not pick up calls from his comrades.

Anyway the 10th by-election will be closely watch as the late Dr Zainal won the seat with a razor thin majority of 198 in the last election. One thing for sure, I am envy for the people of Hulu Selangor. With due respect to the late Dr. Zainal, his death will bring far more goodies and promises of development to the people of Hulu Selangor than when he is alive because it will be "durian runtuh" especially from the Umno led Federal Government.

It is time for the people of Hulu Selangor to draw out their wish list and laughing all the way while filling up their piggy bank. - Loka

Cukuplah Najib, Muhyiddin

Kalaulah berlaku masalah teknikal semasa percetakan, mesin cetak  mula boleh berfikir, artikel mungkin menjadi seperti berikut.

Cukuplah Tee Keat Najib, Soi Lek Muhyiddin... — PAwang Tak Selamat

Sampai bila kemelut sandiwara kepimpinan MCA UMNO akan berlarutan bertahan? Itulah persoalan yang berlegar di kalangan orang ramai terutama ahli-ahli parti itu.

PAwang setuju dengan penegasan Pengerusi Barisan Nasional (BN) Gua Musang Mohd. Najib Tun Razak Razaleigh Hamzah bahawa MCA UMNO perlu selesaikan segera krisis dalamannya royalti minyak demi mengukuhkan kedudukan BN. Jika tidak diselesaikan, ia hanya merugikan MCA UMNO selain membuang masa dan tenaga kepada hal yang tidak wajar. Tumpuan sepatutnya diberikan kepada tugas-tugas parti untuk menolong rakyat.

PAwang tidak berminat mengulas panjang. Sudah banyak analisis tentang MCA UMNO ditulis tetapi realitinya kemelut parti royalti minyak itu semakin buruk. Pelan damai Perjanjian tidak dihormati, formula alasan  demi formula alasan gagal dan penyelesaiannya entah ke mana. Terbaru, ada beberapa bahagian rancangan mencadangkan bekas Presiden MCA MB Johor, Ong Ka Ting Muhyiddin bertanding jawatan Presiden MCA UMNO pada pemilihan baru hujung bulan ini  akan datang. Ia cadangan menarik tetapi PAwang tidak fikir ia akan membantu UMNO.

Dalam kita menyerahkan kepada MCA UMNO untuk menyelesaikan sendiri kemelut meneruskan sandiwara mereka , ia tidak bermakna kita harus mengunci mulut. PAwang percaya isu tersebut tidak juga boleh selesai jika Presidennya, Ong Tee Keat Najib berundur. Begitu juga dengan Timbalan Presiden, Chua Soi Lek Muhyiddin. Membenarkan Tee Keat Muhyiddin yang dibelenggu isu kewibawaan dan Soi Lek Najib dengan isu moralnya - terus berada dalam kepimpinan - hanya merisikokan lagi MCA UMNO dan BN.

PAwang percaya MCA UMNO tidak ketandusan pemimpin. Kalangan pemimpin pelapis boleh dijadikan sandaran. Tinggal lagi semua pihak harus berani mengambil langkah besar. Tee Keat Najib dan Soi Lek Muhyiddin terlebih dahulu harus merasa malu bertaubat. Janganlah gadaikan parti untuk ego dan kepentingan sendiri. Prestasi MCA UMNO pada pilihan raya umum lalu sudahlah buruk bukannya sebaik mana, bagaimana mahu bangkit menyakinkan membangunkan rakyat jika para pemimpinnya masih mementingkan soal jawatan. Bosan PAwang. - Cetusan Malaysia

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

DAP strengthened grip on Subang Jaya

Two years following the grand entry of a new assemblyman for Subang Jaya, the DAP finally had a major function to meet up with the local residents. March 12 was a special night for those residing and voting in Subang Jaya because a breakthrough event took place that night.

Ean Yong Hian Wah, Selangor State Chairman and Tunku Abdul Aziz, National Vice Chairman

Teresa Kok, DAP National Organising Secretary and Senior Selangor State Exco brief the audience on the historical background of the Taman Subang Ria controversy.

  

   

Part of the dinner crowd, listening to updates from DAP elected representatives while enjoying a good meal.

 People who are unable to get a seat in the hall listens to Gobind Singh via a link-up telecast.

 About 1200 supporters gathered at a local shopping mall to witness and support a historic occasion which happens due to the decision made two years ago i.e. March 8, 2008. The people of Subang Jaya then voted for change and changed they did. The people of Subang Jaya had then elected a very dedicated and courageous young lady to serve the people.

Hannah Yeoh, the Subang Jaya assemblywoman was the toast of the crowd for her speech and two years report card. Her "report card" touches on many issues of concerned to the people of Subang Jaya, including education,  unity, infrastructure, environmental, healthy lifestyle and so on.

For the first time in Subang Jaya history the Democratic Action Party had a memorable Chinese New Year gathering which were graced by leaders of the DAP including its icon Lim Kit Siang, Tunku Abdul Aziz, Teresa Kok, Gobind Singh, Ean Yong Hian Wah and Adun for Subang Jaya Hannah Yeoh.

Kit Siang who was the final speaker of the night, spoke on many issues affecting Malaysians including the GST, NEM, GTP and Malaysian Malaysia.

The speakers lineup for the night.

After winning the state constituency of Subang Jaya for the first time in 2008, DAP are expected to further strengthen its grip on the state seat with the recent registration of a new branch and establishment of another pro-tem committee for another branch in USJ. While the first branch mostly managed by members below 35, the less than three months old branch pro-tem committee in USJ East are led by a group of grass-root supporters who are mostly in the 40s and above.

  

The team from the DAP USJ East branch with YB Hannah and YB Gobind Singh

The on-the-street experience and networking of these new branch members can be noticed when they managed to organised a major fundraising event within two months which surprises many, even those in the party's state leadership. The team that form the pro-tem committee and organizes the dinner are just ordinary guys next door who had the courage  to be directly involved in a political party for the first time in their life and to fly the flag of democracy through the DAP. - Loka

DAP breakthru dinner in Subang Jaya

At last, the assemblyman in my area Hannah Yeoh, managed to secure a venue to hold a DAP dinner in Subang Jaya after all. The latest from her blog reveals that a number of DAP big guns including Lim Kit Siang, Tunku Abdul Aziz, Teresa Kok etc. will be converging to Subang Jaya on 12 March 2010 to attend the dinner to be held at the Summit Shopping Mall.

As far as I know, this will be the first time DAP having a major dinner function with the people in Subang Jaya. The dinner which is organised by a new DAP branch in USJ was initially planned to be held at the SJK (C) Chee Wen school hall. The application to rent the hall was withdrawn few days later even after a deposit been paid. Seige mentality and deluded mind cause the school to loose out some much needed income to pay back close to RM2 million debt still owed to the contractor.

What will be the implication to the school image and Chinese education if the contractor obtained a court order to seal the school hall if the debt still unpaid after many letters of demand?

So, SJK (C)  Chee Wen Board of Governors especially those responsible for the school hall management, what say you? - Loka

Saifuddin - pejuang belia dulu,kini dan selamanya....

Selepas lebih dari 10 tahun seruan agar ditubuhkan sebuah jawatankuasa Kabinet mengenai belia, akhirnya pihak kerajaan akur dengan kepincangan halatuju pembangunan belia yang ada sekarang dan bersetuju untuk menubuhkan sebuah Jawatankuasa Kabinet Pembangunan Belia. Jawatankuasa ini dijangka akan dianggotai oleh wakil 12 buah Kementerian yang ada kaitan dengan belia.

Semasa Saifuddin Abdullah menerajui Majlis Belia Malaysia(MBM) sebagai presiden dan setiausaha agung dari 1990 hingga 2002, beliau telah memperjuangkan kewujudan sebuah jawatankuasa kabinet yang dipengerusikan oleh Perdana Menteri sendiri untuk menjana pembangunan belia negara ini. Bukan itu sahaja, Saifuddin telah mencadangkan agar belia harus diberi peranan sebagai ahli Dewan Negara dan juga sebagai ahli majlis pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT) selaku wakil belia di seluruh negara. Saifuddin telah berhujah bahawa walaupun terdapat Senator dan Ahli Majlis PBT yang dalam lingkungan umur belia, mereka ini bukanlah dilantik atas nama wakil pertubuhan belia tetapi berasaskan latarbelakang politik penama berkenaan.

Saifuddin Abdullah semasa pelancaran bukunya "Politik Baru"

Sekarang Saifuddin telah diangkat menjadi Timbalan Menteri di dalam kerajaan selepas memenangi kerusi Parlimen Temerloh pada pilihanraya umum yang lepas. Nampaknya idealisme dan perjuangan beliau untuk mengangkat martabat perjuangan belia masih lagi segar dan kuat di sanubari beliau walupun tidak lagi memegang jawatan penting dalam pertubuhan belia kebangsaan seperti MBM. Kegigihannya demi perjuangan belia dapat dilihat dari keperibadian beliau yang selesa bergaul dengan belia serta wawasan dan  usaha yang diambil untuk mendekati belia. Maka ia tidak menghairankan apabila Saifuddin merupakan ahli politik Umno berjawatan dalam kabinet yang pertama membuka akaun dalam laman "Facebook" sebagai langkah membuka jalan kepada pengguna Facebook untuk "mendampingi" dan berkenalan dengan beliau. Misi 3M "Menyelami Minda Muda" yang diilhamkan beliau telah membolehkannya mendengar pandangan dan rintihan ribuan orang muda secara terus dan telus.

Persoalannya ialah sama ada Jawatankuasa ini berkemampuan menjalankan peranan secara betul dan berkesan seperti yang diuar-uarkan oleh PM Najib semasa mengumumkan penubuhan jawatankuasa tersebut? Adalah diharapkan usaha ini bukanlah setakat melepas batuk ditangga dan hanya merupakan pendekatan untuk mendekati pengundi-pengundi muda dalam perancangan strategi pilihanraya umum ke 13 yang akan datang.

Tiga orang besar dalam Umno sekarang iaitu Najib, Muhyiddin Yassin (yang akan mempengerusikan jawatankuasa tersebut) dan Hishammudin Hussein pernah menjadi menteri dalam Kementerian Belia dan Sukan sebelum ini dan mereka sepatutnya faham dengan peri pentingnya jawatankuasa ini dan diharapkan jangan sekali-kali menjadikan gagasan ini sebagai matlamat politik kepartian.

Penggiat dan pemimpin belia sama ada di dalam mahupun di luar Kementerian Belia memang tahu dari segi hiraki dan protokol, status Kementerian Belia adalah di tahap paling rendah di bandingkan dengan kementerian lain. Ia bukanlah perkara luarbiasa apabila kementerian-kementerian lain hanya menghantar pegawai pangkat jauh lebih rendah untuk menghadiri mesyuarat yang di panggil dan dipengerusikan oleh pegawai tinggi Kementerian Belia.

Disebabkan status Kementerian Belia yang rendah, Muhyiddin Yassin yang suatu ketika dulu amat berpengaruh dan berkuasa besar sebagai Menteri Besar Johor selama 10 tahun (1986 - 1995) telah merajuk apabila ditukar menerajui Kementerian Belia selepas pilihanraya tahun 1995. Kerusi Menteri Besar Johor pula diberikan kepada Menteri Belia sebelumnya iaitu Abdul Ghani Othman yang masih memegang jawatan tersebut sehingga sekarang.

Diharapkan Jawatankuasa ini mampu memberikan suntikan mujarab ke arah memartabatkan perjuangan dan kepentingan belia. Walau bagaimanapun, sekiranya ketiga-tiga mereka iaitu Najib, Muhyiddin dan Hishamuddin serta  Menteri belia sekarang Shabery Chik menghadapi jalan buntu dan memerlukan wawasan baru untuk Jawatankuasa ini, ikutlah resam padi dan rujuklah dengan  mereka yang pakar mengenai belia. Ini tidaklah susah kerana telah ada orang di sisi di kalangan mereka iaitu Saifuddin Abdullah - pejuang belia, dulu, kini dan selamanya....- Loka

Anwar is to blame

With the departure of MP for Bayan Baru Zahrain Hashim from Parti Keadilan Rakyat two weeks ago, it added another round of woes to PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim who is facing second round court case on sodomy charges.

It will not be surprising if one or more of PKR's MPs decided to walk out from the party that seems facing unending problems in maintaining discipline  and loyalty amongst its elected representatives. Anwar himself already admitted his mistakes in selecting the wrong candidates for the last general election. Well, at that time he don't have much choice isn't it?

PKR's membership can be pooled into three main baskets. The first group are those who jumped ship from another party particularly from Umno. The initial batch of Umno members who switched allegiance to PKR are mostly those with third level of hierarchy in Umno, except maybe for Anwar himself, Azmin Ali, Ezam Nor (who left earlier) and a couple of others. There were so many positions for grab and opportunity to stood as election candidates which will remain a dream if they are still in Umno.

The second group are those who are Anwar-infatuated people like those involved in Abim (Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia), namely Mustaffa Kamil Ayub and Mohd Nur Manuty. The third group are those who were involved in "reformasi" and NGOs like Tian Chua, Elizabeth Wong, Sivarasiah, Irene Fernandez etc. Later, after the "merging" with Parti Rakyat Malaysia, a small group of people led by Syed Husin Ali were absorbed into the party.

It is clear that Anwar is having a lot of headaches with those who were formerly with another political party. Current problematic PKR elected representatives who are formerly from Umno includes Kulim Bandar Bharu MP Zulkifli Noordin, Zahrain Hashim and Indera Mahkota MP Azan Ismail. Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong who claims a Selangor state exco from DAP was involved with the mafia was the founding Secretary General of the mosquito party Malaysian Democratic Party after his fallout with DAP and Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng was formerly with Gerakan.

Not forgetting the duo that partly caused the fall of Pakatan Rakyat's Perak state government Jamaluddin Radzi (Adun Behrang) and Osman Jailu ( Adun Changkat Jering) and also Port Klang assemblyman Badrul Hisham who quits PKR to become BN friendly independents, whatever it means!

It seems like these people could not forget their old flames which they had cohabited for so many years even after tying the knot with a new partner. As people says, they can have a new party but their heart is still with the former party. There will be more test cases to see if political frogs can be depended on their loyalty and commitment to their new party. Those on the watch list includes former MCA vice president Chua Jui Meng and wanita deputy head Dr Tan Yee Kew. We will see where their heart lies when PKR selects the next election candidates.

Anwar is right in putting the blame on himself for selecting these political frogs and frogs-to-be. Another thing which he has not openly apologised was his haste and dream to becomes the PM by encouraging political betrayal of BN MPs so that he can secure enough seats to take over Putrajaya. While he was scheming this, he was blinded by the dream for power and blinked while his enemy BN took the opportunity to snatch Perak under his nose and created continuous problems for his PR governments in Selangor and Penang. - Loka

Serpent-like racial monster within

What is so surprising about this guy who allegedly make racial remarks and threatened to take away the citizenship of fellow Malaysians? We didn't hear these nonsense for the first time, aren't we?  And surely we do not expect this to be the last anyway. Lurking underneath the smiling faces and shout of unity under the Malaysian umbrella, lies the vicious and serpent-like racial monster within their subdue conscience.

Waiting for the moment to unleash itself from the grinning teeth and bear-hugs of comradeship, these inner serpent-like subdue conscience will be spurting out wild fire of unhappiness, hatred and displeasure during moments of unguarded tongue and a disillusion state of mind.

The serpent-like conscience has been there for a long time amongst many living around us, has been continuously nurtured and developed by those who will do whatever it takes and at all cost to maintain their political and racialistic dominance in a country that adopts parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy.

These serpent-like racial monster can be a colleague sitting next to us in the office; a neighbour who mind his own business all the time; a loyal customer of the mamak stalls that we patronized regularly; an old friend from our school or university days and can even be amongst those with the YB titles. Hopefully these YBs can be Yang Bertaubat soon if the serpent monster is still lurking within.

We need to show our compassion to these serpent-like racial monster who can't even develop their own heart and mind in a state of mindfulness and peace. If this fails, we better continue to pray harder  and harder for a better Malaysia tomorrow.  - 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

Tee Keat-Tiong Lai-Seng Kok's conundrum

The sudden turn of events in MCA after the Oct 10 EGM re-inforced the truth in the old sayings that there are no permanent friends or foes in politics and your greatest enemy is your closest friend.

During the Central Committee(CC) meeting held after the EGM, a group of CC members lead by the newly appointed deputy president Liow Tiong Lai reportedly told Ong Tee Keat to honour his word to resign as president of MCA. Their action was to enable Tiong Lai to take over as president immediately after Tee Keat resigns. The other vice president Kong Cho Ha  is then expected to be appointed to the "vacant" deputy president position. Tee Keat had asked the CC to resign to be collectively responsible for the CC decision to suspend Chua Soi Lek's membership which was rejected by the central delegates in the EGM. The CC declined to resign.

Ong Tee Keat - Liow Tiong Lai - Loh Seng Kok's conundrum

Ong Tee Keat felt betrayed and bitter by the actions of his CC friends and close supporters who turned against him. Even though he did not mentioned any name, it was very clear that he was very sad with the sudden turn around of his strong supporters and friends especially Liow Tiong Lai. Until the the last minute before the EGM, everyone can see that Tiong Lai has been supporting Tee Keat and following him around the country to drummed up support from the central delegates. In an unexpected manoeuvre, Tee Keat uses his presidential constitutional power to call for another EGM to determine whether fresh election should be called for the central committee.

The close relationship between Tee Keat and Tiong Lai can be traced to their MCA Youth days. During the frictions between Team A and Team B, both of them were in the same team, Team B. Tee Keat was then the Youth chief and Tiong Lai, just like Seng Kok, has been in the Youth committee since 1990. As an interim measures to address the contending factions in MCA Youth, Team B's Tiong Lai was appointed MCA Youth Joint Secretary General with Team A's Loh Seng Kok in 2002. During this period, due to Team A and Team B political baggage, it was obvious Tee Keat had a better working relationship with Tiong Lai.

In the 2005 MCA AGM, Tee Keat did not defend his Youth Chief position but stood for the vice presidency instead. He won in a stiff fight and was "promoted" and transferred to the Higher Education Ministry as its deputy Minister in a Cabinet reshuffle in Feb 2006.

During the Oct 2008 MCA election, the then president Ong Ka Ting steps down to take responsibilities for MCA's worst electoral performance in the March 2008 12th General Election when it only managed to win 15 parliamentary seats. Ong Tee Keat was the only MCA candidate to win a parliamentary seat in the state of Selangor which was conquered by the opposition parties. Tee Keat was appointed Transport Minister after the 12th General Election. Tee Keat later stood for the MCA presidential post and beaten former vice president Chua Jui Meng to claim the presidency.


In the 2005 AGM, Tiong Lai offers himself to replace Tee Keat as the Youth Chief while Seng Kok stood for the deputy chairman position. It was during this party election that Tee Keat had endorsed Tiong Lai as his successor and Tiong Lai easily trounced political minnow Song Kee Chai. Tiong Lai subsequently took over the deputy minister position in  the Youth and Sports Ministry vacated by Tee Keat. While Tiong Lai had a smooth ride to be elected Youth chief, Seng Kok faces a tough fight. His political career was jolted when he was beaten to the deputy youth chairman position by Ling Hee Liong, the eldest son of Ling Liong Sik in a four corner fight. It seems that votes from Liow Tiong Lai's supporters was not delivered to Seng Kok as expected but went to his rivals instead. If Seng Kok had won the Youth deputy head position, situation might have been different today.

During the 2008 AGM, Tiong Lai was elected as one of the vice presidents with the second highest number of votes received after Kong Cho Ha. Seng Kok managed to get himself elected as a member of the CC which was dominated by Tee Keat's supporters. While Tiong Lai ascendency to higher political office proceed smoothly after 2005 when he was appointed as a Youth and Sports deputy minister and gained a fast tracked promotion as Health Minister in March 2008, Seng Kok's political career was shaky after his loss in the 2005 party election.

Even though Loh Seng Kok was one of the most hard working and promising Member of Parliament he was dropped as a candidate for the Kelana Jaya constituency which he was first elected in 2004 since he did not hold any senior position in either division, state or national level. After he won a seat in the CC during the 2008 party election he was not given any portfolio in the party structure. To add salt to injury non of the other party bureaus invited him to be a member. At last the head of the Government Policy Monitoring Bureau Chua Soi Lek, also MCA deputy president inducted Seng Kok as a member of his bureau. The involvement in this bureau at least allows him a platform to speak up on governmental issues and kept himself within the media radar. Due to this and other historical Team A factor, it is not surprising for Seng Kok to give his support and place his political future in Chua Soi Lek's camp.

MCA and UKM connection

Liow Tiong Lai and Loh Seng Kok were close friends during their universities days in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in the mid 1980's. Their relationship was fostered through their active participation and leadership in the Chinese Community Committee (CCC) of UKM, a special committee within the UKM Students Union which take care the interest of the Chinese students. The CCC is the main player in the popular "Pesta Tanglung" which was organised annually by the students. The CCC was later "dissolved" by the then UKM Students Union in 1986 but continued to be active via their established networking until today.

It is through the CCC that enables many of the Chinese students in UKM to have close contact with MCA, especially its youth wing. The CCC-MCA relationship was further enhanced when Dr. Ting Chew Peh, an Anthropologist lecturer in UKM was asked to be the MCA candidate in the Gopeng by-election in 1987. The seat was vacated by the then MCA president Tan Koon Swan who was jailed due to criminal breach of trust in relation to the Pan Electric Industries debacle. Tiong Lai who graduated from UKM  in 1986 assisted MCA in the by-election and some of the CCC leaders went to Gopeng to provide moral support to their lecturer.

Some of the CCC leaders from the mid-80s were later recruited as staffs of MCA after their graduation. These leaders includes Liow Tiong Lai, Yu Kee Su and Loh Seng Kok who were later appointed  political secretaries to MCA top guns namely, Lim Ah Lek (Minister of Human Resources), Ting Chew Peh (Minister of Housing and Local Government) and Ling Liong Sik (Minister of Transport) respectively. Yu Kee Su left the political arena  for the private sector after his boss Ting Chew Peh was dropped from the Cabinet in 1999.

The surged of UKM graduates involving in MCA began to evolved and grows in strength beginning in the 1980s through the CCC connection. These graduates even established a MCA branch (Bukit Mewah, Cheras) specifically to enrol graduates from UKM as members. After this early batch of Liow Tiong Lai's group, more and more UKM Chinese graduates began to be directly involved in MCA politics.

The Curse of Health Ministry

It is yet to be seen whether Liow Tiong Lai will be successful in his quest to become the first UKM graduate to assume the presidency of the largest Chinese-based political party in Malaysia. With so much politiking and struggle for power within MCA, no one knows what will happens tomorrow? If Liow Tiong Lai misses his steps while striving towards higher political office, will he succumbed to the curse of the Health Ministership. His immediate predecessors Chua Soi Lek, Chua Jui Meng and even Ong Ka Ting who was one time Acting Minister after Chua Soi Lek resigns, all of them faces their Waterloo when assigned to the ministerial portfolio in the Ministry of Health. Or is it Ministry of Hell?

With events unfolding by the day, will it come to a stage where Ong Tee Keat and Loh Seng Kok from Chua Soi Lek's camp join forces to face the challenges from Liow Tiong Lai's camp? It is only the protagonists and antagonists that will be able to provide answers to this conundrum. We are only spectators in unfolding this chapter of history. - Loka

p/s - When Liow Tiong Lai was first appointed as Health Minister in March 2008, I suggested to his secretary to ask his boss to invite a monk to conduct blessings in his office. I am not sure whether the suggestion was taken up but the signs available so far shows it has not been taken seriously. At this stage of political upheavals in MCA, maybe it's not too late for Tiong Lai to have his blessings before it's too late.

Tee Keat- fight one last round

In the event of any war, there will be those that will suffer the agony of defeat and those who basked in the glory of success. In between them there will be those who will reap the spoils of war. In the history of mankind, war always affects those who are part of it and those innocents who are sacrificed as collateral damage. Some experienced the worst of all and lost everything they had while some will grabbed the opportunity to secure the benefits that would have eluded them if there is no war.

With the widely expected resignation of Ong Tee Keat as MCA's president and the already vacant deputy president position, a floodgate is now opened for all ambitious members of MCA to grab the spoils of the recent EGM.

How wide the floodgate of opportunities will depends on the following scenario.

1. The Central Committee resigns en masse and calls for new election.

This may be the most remote of all possibilities as the risks are too high to be taken especially for those that are alligned or friendly to Ong Tee Keat. This move will be most welcome by Chua Soi Lek and his cohorts as it will be an opportunity to pave the way for him and his people to take a shot to control the party leadership. If it happens, expects an all out fight between the two feuding factions and participation of the third force which so far have not shown the hidden hand behind it. Some old faces and old horses are expected to jump into the band wagon and fight another round for political supremacy.

Who knows Chua Soi Lek might just try his luck and give a shot for the presidency since he knows very well he had at least half of the delegates firmly in his hand who don't mind his sexual indiscretion. With a little bit of manouvering, he might just convinced another 50 third force fence sitters to vote for him. If that happens, his sexual indiscretion will be Najib's problem,  not MCA's nor the Chinese community since only Najib can decide whether to accept an adulterous component leader sitting with him in the Cabinet.

2. Ong Tee Keat resigns and his appointees follow suits.

The president has the right to appoint a number of members in the central committee includes the Secretary General, Treasurer General, Organising Secretary and eight committee members. When he resigns, those appointed by him are obliged to follow suit which will create a long list of vacancies. Assuming two vice presidents, namely Kong Cho Ha and Liow Tiong Lai took over the top two posts, two vacancies will be available in the vice president position.

This situation is similiar to the situation in 2003 when Ling Liong Sik of Team A and Lim Ah Lek of Team B resigns simultaneously as president and deputy president in a peace plan between Team A and Team B. Their vacated positions were filled by then vice presidents Ong Ka Ting and Chan Kong Choy who is from Team A and Team B respectively. The two vacated vice president positions were given to Tan Chai Ho (Team A) and Fu Ah Kiow (Team B). The then Secretary General Ting Chew Peh (Team A) was retained by Ong Ka Ting as goodwill gesture until 2005 when he was replaced by Ka Ting's brother Ong Kah Chuan (Team A) after the party election.

Will Tan Chai Ho and Loh Seng Kok who were the main EGM coordinators for Chua Soi Lek's camp given any senior positions representing the reborn Team A? If the horse trading is based on the 2003 formula, Chai Ho most probably will be rewarded with a VP position while Seng Kok might be in the run for the Organising Secretary or even the Secretary General position if Kong Cho Ha is appointed president for their service to Soi Lek's block. Seng Kok was formerly the MCA Youth Joint Secretary General with Tiong Lai under Youth Chief Ong Tee Keat after the peace plan in 2003.

If Tiong Lai is appointed president, there is no way Seng Kok will be appointed Sec-Gen as trust is wanting in between them even though they were the best of pals during their early days in MCA and as student leaders in UKM. They went separate ways when battle starts between Team A and Team B which was lead by their political mentors Ling Liong Sik and Lim Ah Lek. Both were former political secretaries to their mentors.

Another Chua is expected to be appointed to the Central Committee if those appointed by Tee Keat resigns. He is non other than the son of Chua Soi Lek and MP for Labis Chua Tee Yong.

3. Only Ong Tee Keat resigns

The changes of guard will only affect any two of the four vice presidents but no one should expect the changes to be anything but smooth. Basing on the top two votes secured by Kong Cho Ha and Liow Tiong Lai, it is logical for both of them to climb the party hierachy but the political ambition of Ng Yen Yen should not be discounted. It can be observed that in the run up to the EGM, Ng Yen Yen was clearly non-committal on her support for Ong Tee Keat and also avoids from commenting on Chua Soi Lek's sex acandal even though she was one time the Minister for Family Development and MCA Wanita Chief. It won't be a surprise if efforts is under ways to appoints her as the deputy president. This is the best return from the spoils of the EGM for a politician who has been distancing herself from the decisions of the Presidential Council and also the Central Committee.

4. Ong Tee Keat stays as President

First of all, the MCA Constitution does not requires Ong Tee Keat to resign. In politics everything is possible and the unthinkable can happen. The Central Committee might be successful in convincing Ong Tee Keat to stay on at least until the end of his term and go on leave from his party duty but retain his Transport Minister position. Tee Keat still have unfinished business in sorting out the PKFZ debacle which the public have high expectation for all perpetrators to be hauled up and charged in the court of law. If this happens, either Kong Cho Ha or Liow Tiong Lai will be appointed to fill the vacant deputy president position.

Tee Keat may be a lame duck president but as a minister that starts the ball rolling in cleaning up PKFZ, he must honour his duty to the 27 million Malaysians by leaving no stones unturn in search of the truth behind the fiasco. If he can provide justice and truth to the people, not just MCA members, he will be remembered as a statesman who dares to walk the talk and the courage to face challenges from all corners for the sake of the people. As a man of principle, he may want to be responsible for his leadership in MCA by taking the no confidence vote on  the presidency personally but then he has a bigger responsibility to the people of Malaysia.

He must at least fight for the last one round. Not for him. Not for his central committee. Not for MCA and surely not for BN. But for all Malaysians who uphold the principle of good governance in their beloved nation.

Even if he is down, he can give us a favor to fight this final round as a fellow Malaysian. - Loka

Good and bad followers

After the stalemate results from the Oct 10 EGM, can MCA still able to consolidate and re-invent itself and climb back to its former self before the 308 general election last year?

With the expected departure of Ong Tee Keat from the presidency, can MCA stand up to  the continuous bullying by big brother Umno and or ends up playing just an "extra" in the BN government?

Can green horn cabinet ministers like Liow Tiong Lai and Kong Cho Ha has the capability and courage to lead MCA in the face-offs with Umno.

Not that I don't have confidence in some of the people I know in MCA but the challenge is just too great for any of them to shoulder. They may be very comfortable and capable within their own domain but when it comes to dealing with Umno, many politicians in Umno are just too good and experience for any of the current MCA leaders. Umno politicians from the top leadership to the branch level are known to be able to eat, talk and sleep over politics all the time. There will be politics in everything they do or don't do. Most of the time the observant public wonders what these Umno politicians do for a living other than seeing and breathing politics in everything they do.

But then, all the blame cannot be pushed to Umno alone if MCA leaders can't deliver. It is MCA's delegates themselves which created or to be precise, wants to continue whatever the practice for the last 52 years. Umno fellas gets the contracts from the government, MCA leaders will obtain the sub-contracts and finish the job for their Umno comrades. Both sides will be happy and laughing all the way to the bank. Once, a former political secretary of a disgraced MCA minister gladly acknowledged the need for this "cooperation". From the results of the EGM, it can be deduced that at least half of the MCA delegates is still thinking along the same line which is totally do not synched with the feelings of the people especially the Chinese community they claimed to represents.

When MCA disintegrates, it is not because of their internal squabbles but due to the failure of the MCA delegates to read and win the mind and heart of the Chinese populace in this country. Some of MCA's delegates already forgotten the psychological warfare against the communist in the yesteryears when winning the heart and mind of the people was on the top of the agenda that won the war against the communists during the Emergency years.

The direction of the MCA is not set by the elected leader alone but by the guidance and wisdom of the delegates whom elected the leader. You deserves what you asked for. In any organisation, leaders will come and go, no one is indispensable. The problem is not with Ong Tee Keat or Chua Soi Lek but the people who decides who they want to lead them. If you elect a leader expecting favours, position and awards in return for your support, what is left  of you to take care of the needs of the people that you claimed to represent.

In a democracy, there is no good or lousy leader but there are good and bad followers. A leader, whether good or bad, is elected by the followers. If the leader performs badly, it is because the followers elect him and allows it to happens. If the leader done a great job, it is due to the followers wisdom in giving the person the opportunity to lead. In this aspect, the real leader is actually the followers or delegates who makes the decision to appoints someone to represents them in fulfilling their needs.

Can the MCA delegates/central committee members sees these when they select the next leader to represent and lead them? I am doubtful. - Loka

Fighting for Political Supremacy

There are some characteristics which can be derives from the current battle of political supremacy in the MCA.

A politician worth his or her salt will strive in whatever possible ways to reach the pinnacle of political power. To reach the pinnacle of power, he need to do or undo whatever deems necessary to stay afloat in the political system. Even to the extent of making a choice against one's principle to select between two feuding groups which he does not fully subcribe to their agenda. There is no other way about it.

Firstly, when they is a feud between two conflicting groups, it does not pay if one decided to stay in the middle. Even if one decided to be independent in a feud, the aspiring independent politician will need to create a perception that he is acceptable by either one or both side of the feuding parties. A totally independent individual will be left out of the party political process when all dust settle after a long drawn battle for political supremacy.

Secondly, even if deep inside his heart he wanted to be the party supremo one day, the politician must not tell the whole world that he or she is keen and ready to take over the leadership. An open declaration of one's readiness and eagerness to assume the top political position will attract unnecessary attention and also attacks from other political rivals.

Thirdly, if a politician has the necessary clout and political influence, he or she  uses them as bargaining tools in negotiation with both feuding parties to further his ambition. If he succeeded in playing the horse trading games well, he may ends up getting the top political seat of power in a silver platter, at the expense of both the feuding parties.

Fourthly, a shrewd politician knows that in every crisis there is an opportunity. Whenever another politician more senior than him and other colleagues tumbles, there is a chance for him to climb the political ladder. Another vacancy due to the departure of a senior politician creates a domino vacancies effect all the way down the political command.

Finally, a politician who already does not knows how to do anything else but playing politics will go all the way and with all the means to ensure he or she come out triumphant in the political battle even if he or she has to sell out and betray his friends and comrades. The Machiavellian saying "the means justify the ends" will be the core principle belief of the said politician.

Basing on the current MCA battle for political supremacy, the characters and the players are unveiled before, during and after the emergency general meeting this Saturday. Some of them already shown their true face, the others just waiting for the opportune time. - Loka

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

RM500 million for all

After waiting for an apology that did not materialised, at last Ong Tee Keat is suing KDSB boss Tiong King Sing for half a billion ringgit for claiming that he (Tiong) had donated RM10 million to Tee Keat for MCA's activities. Tee Keat had denied that the so-called contribution took place and gave Tiong one week to withdraw his claims or he will sue for defamation.

If Tiong is found guilty and Tee Keat awarded the damages to the tune of half a billion ringgit, many groups will benefit from this suit as Tee Keat already committed to donate the money to charity and education purposes if he wins the suit. Hmmm... all those looking forward for a slice of the half a billion ringgit should holds prayers service for Tee Keat so that he can win the case and distribute the award money to the people.

On the other hand, if Tiong wants to show one upmanship against Ong and seek public goodwill, maybe he should also declare that if he manage to overturn the suit by Tee Keat, he will also be allocating RM1 billion to be contributed to all the Chinese schools in the country in annual instalments until 2050. Considering the value of the PKFZ contract and probable claims and income until year 2050, it should not be a difficult task.

The only question is, in the eyes of the public who is the better bet to win the case and who the public will believe to be more truthful and trustworthy in taking care of the community needs without expecting any favours in return.

Can the schools and welfare organizations submit their application for their share now since the donation will be coming from the same source! - 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