I refer to the Malaysiakini report Consensus on MCA polls, not on timing .

MCA Vice-president Liow Tiong Lai’s faction insistence on holding fresh elections by end of the year is something totally not feasible and runs contrary to the spirit of compromise in this MCA crisis. Since all faction have agreed to fresh polls, there is no reason to argue on the need to hold it immediately.

The fresh elections can be held in March or even in June but everything must adhere to the party constitution. Liow faction’s stubborn insistence again points to the fact that they are the ‘trouble- makers’ of this prolonged crisis. They want to bargain for the cancellation of Nov 28 EGM in exchange for an agreed date to hold fresh polls by year-end.

The Nov 28 EGM has already been ruled as ‘illegal’ by the central committee on Nov 18. More than two-thirds of committee members had already voted against the nature of the resolution proposed by Liow’s faction. Arguing from the simple fact of legality, how could somebody come to the peace talks with something illegal to bargain for something legal?

To be fair to all parties, the illegal EGM on Nov 28 should not figure at all in the picture .If they ever have the party at heart, the Nov 28 EGM should be called off unconditionally.

However, in MCA nowadays, there is no more democracy at work, because the violent and aggressive minority will always go against any ruling made by the more civilised and comfortable majority. The majority in MCA keep quiet or would rather remain at the sidelines so as to not worsen the situation further.

But the violent and dwindling minority will make sure that as long as the party does not submit to their wishes, they would go all out to disrupt and destroy the party. This was the very same strategy adopted and applied successfully by Team B under Lim Ah Lek and Chan Kong Choy to bring down Ling Liong Sik in May 2003.

Initially, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin might have thought that it was quite easy to work out a formula since everybody had agreed on fresh elections. However, it is not so easy as Liow faction’s stubborn and irrational demands will threaten to bring down the wall again, paving the way for another round of street quarrels and perhaps more open weeping in front of TV cameras.

When both Wee Ka Siong and Chew Mei Fun cried openly, Muhyiddin would have thought that they are being victimised by the MCA president. The concerned and passionate DPM therefore offered himself to sort out the mess in MCA. By any calculation, the weaker faction (the Liow faction) would normally be satisfied once their demands are met partially after intervention or mediation by a respected third party.

However, by now, the DPM would have realised that it is not going to be easy as the weaker faction is making use of the DPM to realise their claims in totality and in absolute terms even if it means going against the party constitution.

Contrary to their play acting and weeping episodes earlier on, Wee and Chew happily continue to tour the country nation-wide with more verbal attacks on Ong Tee Keat and Chua Soi Lek during closed-door sessions. To both Wee and Chew, neither Ong nor Chua are fit to be their leaders but Liow Tiong Lai should take over immediately by year end.

After Liow takes over, they will be rewarded with full minister-ships. What a prize to be won! How could the DPM, Ong or Chua convince them not to rock the boat? The DPM could work out a deal immediately only if Ong and Chua agree to step down.

This is the bottom line of Liow faction’s demands but they stop short of saying it openly for fear of being branded as ‘power-crazy’. Liow’s faction had banked on the upcoming EGM to further their agenda but the bottom line is how many delegates will come forward? With the very question of its legality hanging in uncertainty, with so many central delegates getting bored and erratic weather conditions looming over the sky, how many would want to be made use of again?

Bear in mind that an EGM requisitioned under Article 30.2 by central committee members must achieve a minimum quorum of 794 central delegates. All indications are this EGM will be abandoned due to an insufficient quorum. Therefore, if Liow’s faction insist on an EGM, the other two faction should take up the challenge.

Let them hold an EGM and see for themselves how much support they can command. It was just like the scenario in the year 2002, when Team B successfully forced through a ‘no-contest’ formula just before the divisional election. By doing this, they managed to save their lives and carry on with active politics. Had it not been for the ‘no-contest’ formula brokered by the then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Team B would have been wiped out totally by July 2002.

Since they are talking so much about grassroots dissatisfaction across the country, let it be seen how many are actually dissatisfied apart from the few ‘Third Force’ people who manipulated the voting at the Oct 10 EGM and proceeded to sign up for Nov 28 EGM.

MCA politics must be stripped naked in order to continue, otherwise the party will be perpetually brought down by the violent and vocal minority. Meanwhile, to all conscientious and party- loving delegates, it is your duty to stay away from the Nov 28 EGM.

Your attendance will be made use of by Liow’s faction to create more trouble for the party. You must not be part of a larger scheme to destabilise the party from within and without. With the aborted EGM, Liow’s faction will crawl back to the peace talks with less demands and everything will return to normal.