Tomorrow is Today.....

The MCA conundrum...

Hey!!! Read about the latest headline news to flood our country? Which one? I’m referring to the changes in the MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association) leadership. Well, to the ‘kataks’ among us, the MCA president, Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik and the vice-president Dato’ Seri Lim Ah Lek recently resigned from their respective posts. In addition to that, Dr. Ling also sent in his resignation letter for his position as the Transport Minister. Leaders step down and others take over all the time. So what’s new?

Hahahahhahahahahahha. I agree that it happens but just not in our country. In fact, remember the last time there was a prominent leadership change in the government? That leader is now serving time in a local jail. In Malaysia, leaders come but they just don't go even if they are accused of mishandling state affairs. Anyway…..

What’s my take on this? Before I say anything, just let me reiterate that all my facts were gathered from the local newspapers. I’m just putting together pieces of the puzzle, which has been strewn all over. Who says the local newspapers are just good for wrapping fish at the markets?

The crux of the problem at MCA was the allocation of cabinet seats by the Prime Minister. During the late 90’s, there apparently was a ‘gentlemen’s agreement' between Dato’ Seri Lim and Dr. Ling about Dato’ Seri Lim’s replacement in the cabinet when he stepped down. He wanted his protégé, Datuk Chan Kong Choy, to take over the vacant position. Instead Dr. Ling proposed Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Ting to be appointed as a full minister, which wasn’t part of the agreement. This lead to the formation of the factions of Team A (supporters of Dr. Ling) and Team B (supporters of Datuk Lim) in the MCA. The problem began to fester and ultimately led to the fracas at the MCA Youth Assembly meeting not too long ago.

And then it started getting interesting because the mud slinging propagated and we (the neutral citizens ) were furnished with the juicy bits, which otherwise would have been hidden.

Firstly, MCA’s problem became Barisan Nasional’s problem when BN lost in a by-election, in a constituency that was considered a ‘sure bet’. This was because the Malay votes were split between UMNO and PAS. MCA could have swayed the Chinese voters in their favour if they would only stop bickering among themselves. Then the PM stepped in and brought both sides together to agree to a truce till the next MCA General Assembly in 2005, i.e. all current district, state and national leaders would be reelected by default. It went well till Dr. Ling began to elect members of Team A into the central council (at the expense of the other side of course). Team B’s supporters then began laying some groundwork.

Secondly, things started getting ugly when Dr. Ng Yen Yen was thrown into the fray. Apparently she was a Permanent Resident in Australia when she was sworn in as a senator in Malaysia. Now I ask you, is it appropriate for a person who had sworn allegiance to another country, spent considerable time in that country (u have to fulfill a certain criteria pertaining to length of stay before being awarded PR) and has even sent her child overseas (Australia) to study at a time when the government was trying to promote educational facilities in the country, to be appointed as a member in Malaysia’s upper parliamentary hall? Thank goodness the Dewan Negara is redundant. Imagine the kind of policies our highest lawmakers could have made with that kind of conflict of interest? I don’t know the law very well but is this legal and allowed? The sad truth is that this whole issue was hidden (because everyone in the cabinet and MCA upper echelons knew about it) from us voters. If weren’t for the problem in MCA, we wouldn’t have found out about it. It makes you wish there were problems in UMNO and MIC too, doesn’t it?

So now, realizing the mess was too great to be cleaned up, Dr. Ling tried to buy some time by sending in a resignation letter to Dr. Mahathir, which was not accepted. This happened sometime last year. Surprised? Here’s more…

Thirdly, when MCA tried to buy over Nanyang Siang Pao (a national Chinese daily) against proper judgement (it was and still is debt-ridden) it became a financial problem. As expected, Team B opposed the buy-out but a narrow majority approved it. Then Dato’ Soh Chee Wen, an ex-aide of Dr. Ling who was in self-imposed exile till recently, accused him of reneging on a business deal. This time a foreigner, an Austrian, became involved. He sued Dato’ Soh and Dr. Ling for breaking off a business contract. Only that this time, Dr. Ling’s businessman son was the real culprit but was helped by his dad.

So has anything really happened? Nothing actually. Team A still holds power in the MCA central council. Dr. Ling ensured that before he left. Is there still a factional problem in MCA? Yes, but its been swept under the carpet for the moment. Who’s the biggest loser? Team B. Who’s the biggest winner (if I might call it as such)? The one person who has been wielding his hand behind the scenes trying to strengthen UMNO’s hold on BN. The Prime Minister, of course! In fact part of the peace deal that he brokered between the both ‘warring’ sides called for the resignation of Dr. Ling and Datuk Lim. Talk about forced resignation.(an oxymoron wouldn’t u say so?)

Of course there was this whole ‘stage-show’ when the central committee convened an emergency meeting to persuade Dr. Ling to stay on. How many of you noticed that Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Ting actually had a prepared speech from which he read out to the press? Where did he have the time to type and print it out?Did one of the emergency meeting’s agenda call for the preparation of an acceptance speech for the new president after choosing the new president and vice president of MCA? Or maybe it wasn’t a surprise after all.

This is a more plausible scenario: the PM approves of the new MCA president and vice-president after being advised by Dr. Ling. The central committee convenes meeting to nod in approval. Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Ting checks for typo in his speech. Everyone enjoys a cup of tea and some ‘kuih-muih’ (of which there was an abundance of if you were watching Bulletin Utama). End of meeting-unhappy members (Dr. Chua Jui Meng) drive off quickly to avoid giving contradictory information at the heat of the moment (was also on Bulletin Utama or Ntv7 if you noticed).

Anyway that’s politics for you. Every side has its own dirty linen. But it only makes matters worse, if the dirty linen is not changed even though everyone realizes it is soiled and stinks. That’s what elections are for. You choose a leader you can be proud of and not someone who can give the best defense speech. Never say it’s not your problem because in a democracy, however flawed it is, every vote counts except maybe in Florida, United States. But that’s another story altogether….

posted by Desmond S.D. @ 3:19 PM