I’m writing this with only the slightest hope of MCA rebounding back to its glory days after spiraling downwards since 2008.
It has been a laughing stock since 2008 and the support from the Chinese community is dwindling every day and even at this very moment when I write this, there are Chinese uncles and aunties throwing in the towel and calling it quits. They would rather eat nasi lemak with chopsticks than to read news of MCA.
So why must Chua Soi Lek go? It is as simple as ordering a roti canai from your local mamak stall:
1. Abusing the party’s machineries
It is an open secret that Chua has been using his position to benefit himself. This includes choosing his allies to be candidates for the general election and sidelining the rest. In fact I was informed that he even had his own preferred choice of candidate for the political secretary to Najib Abdul Razak, but of course he failed.
Gearing for the party elections, he then caused The Star newspaper to highlight that almost all the divisions in Selangor, Johor and Penang supported him to lead for another term.
I am not sure how true these reports were but I know for a fact that the report carried by The Star on Sept 27, 2013 with the headline ‘Most Selangor MCA divisions want Chua to stay’ which expressly stated that Petaling Jaya Utara (PJU) division supported the proposal for him to stay was inaccurate.
I contacted the division chairperson of PJU and informed him of the report, and he was equally confused as he has declined the invitation to attend the press conference. I then notified The Star and the report was rectified.
The abuse then escalated. This time he conveniently caused the central committee (CC) members to requisition for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to censure deputy president Liow Tiong Lai. He then attempted to portray this as a noble act in the interest of MCA.
But even a blind MCA member would know that this was just an extension of his strategy to gauge the support of the delegates and whether they wish him to stay on. If delegates were to censure Liow this Sunday, this shows he can still command the support and he will seek to stay on. On the contrary, if delegates vote against censuring Liow, he may choose to retire.
2. Threats issued to the Chinese community
During his tenure, he raised the issue of not taking up any cabinet post whilst commenting on SUPP’s severe defeat in the 2011 Sarawak state elections. He then urged SUPP not to take up any posts in the state government. He went on and warned MCA will not take up any cabinet and government posts if the party performed worse than 2008.
This was then supported by the CC and central delegates. At that time, most if not all of the CC has to obey him because he decides who is to be candidates for the general election.
This threat has proven to be a wrong strategy. In fact the Chinese community finds the threat so distasteful that they have deliberately voted against MCA to teach MCA a lesson.
3. 'Wiped-out' results in the general election
A political leader must take responsibilities for the performance of its party. A good example which he can emulate is that of the past president Ong Ka Ting where he resigned almost immediately when MCA performed badly in 2008. He needs to walk the talk and take full responsibilities of the dismal performance in particular to the candidates he pushed forward.
4. Political baggage
When Liow mentioned to the press, “This loss was because we have a president with moral issues. The president has made the members ashamed to face the people, especially the women” (as extracted in Free Malaysia Today). Although I do not fully subscribe to Liow’s reasoning because the defeat of MCA was attributed to many other factors, I find there are certain truths in that statement.
A leader with moral issues will certainly affect the party as a whole. A leader with a political baggage, especially when it relates to sexual allegations, should go because the baggage is a liability and it is a heavy one. Everywhere you travel, that baggage follows you and your party would inevitably bear the brunt. Imagine when you are running your election campaigns with the sex label hovering over you and your party.
The Chinese uncles and aunties will just laugh at you, either in front of you, or behind you.
5. Political image
MCA must be seen as a clean party and so are the leaders. A leader with a tainted image will only cause harm to the party. Remember, when it comes to a general election, it is no longer what the delegates perceive MCA to be but the voters and MCA will inevitable lose out on votes from the conservatives who do not tolerate extramarital affairs.
6. His own promise
Lastly, as a president of the second largest political party in Malaysia, he should honour his own words when he said he will not seek re-election after the March 5 general election. He should exit the political scene gracefully and be a man of his word. There is no need to gauge the support from the ground from this EGM because your time should be near.
We can only hope the best for MCA and to all the delegates out there, vote wisely.
LAI CHEE HOE is MCA Youth branch chairperson for Petaling Jaya Utara.