Delegates at the MCA general assembly last Saturday rejected both Ong and Dr Chua. — File pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — The MCA central committee will attempt today to find an answer to the issues arising out of last Saturday’s extraordinary general assembly. The outcome of that meeting sent the party into a tailspin even as its relevance is being questioned.
The party constitution provides no clear-cut solution to the quandary that MCA has found itself in following the general assembly's rejection of both president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and his bitter rival and former deputy Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.
The extraordinary general assembly has also further broken up the party by splitting the Ong camp into two — with his loyalists now questioning the motives of vice-presidents Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha, who are said to have struck a deal to take over as president and deputy and pursue a power-sharing deal with Dr Chua's camp.
Sources in MCA say that Dr Chua's backers have been approached with offers of power sharing but no agreement has been reached.
The most immediate question that needs to be answered today is whether Ong will resign as widely expected. News reports quoting sources say that he will. However, it is learnt that his loyalists are still lobbying for him to stay.
The next question that needs to be answered is if the central committee will appoint a new president and deputy or hold elections.
On Dr Chua's side, he and some of his backers have made it known that they prefer the poll option.
Ong is not constitutionally bound to resign as he can only be forcibly removed by two-thirds of the general assembly. Instead, the motion of no confidence was narrowly passed by only slightly over half of the delegates.
Nevertheless, many have noted that Ong had made it an all-or-nothing affair and indicated he would resign if any of the motions were passed by the general assembly, and despite the tiny margin of the vote of no confidence, he would have no moral standing if he chooses to cling to his position.
Also, according to the party constitution, a fresh election is only possible if two-thirds of the central committee resign, an unappealing prospect to many of the central committee members as they would risk losing their positions.
However, proponents of fresh polls are asserting that an overturning of Dr Chua's suspension was in effect a vote of no confidence in the central committee which had endorsed the suspension, and thus they should all resign.
No matter the outcome of the meeting today, the future of the party is looking difficult.
Umno is demanding that it delivers the votes, a goal that looks out of reach as Chinese Malaysians have grown sick and tired of racial politics in general and MCA in particular.
And the recent power struggle has not helped its image any.
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