MCA central delegates start registering for the EGM this morning.
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 — The extraordinary general assembly of the second largest component in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition will decide today the outcome of a protracted power struggle between MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and his estranged former deputy Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.
The victor gets to keep a badly-bruised party with extensive mass media influence but not much popular support among the people.
A recent general poll showed that Ong was the preferred leader but public opinion may not reflect MCA delegates’ sentiment. But many Chinese have not shown an interest in the party fight, reflecting MCA's diminishing influence in the country.
Many observers, however, have said that Ong is expected to win this contest but whoever prevails in the end will have to nurse a party split by the infighting. The results of the voting on the five resolutions is expected to be known after 2pm.
Other possible outcomes are that both men exit the scene or both are returned to their respective elected positions but these outcomes are more remote possibilities and would reflect delegate frustration with the internal infighting.
A total of 2,377 central delegates will vote on five resolutions which centre on restoring the deputy presidency and membership to Dr Chua, whose sacking was later reduced to four years’ suspension for ostensibly bringing disrepute to the party with his sex DVD case nearly two years ago.
Dr Chua had resigned as Health Minister and from all party posts after the DVD came to light. He alleged his political enemies were behind the filming.
He made a comeback in last year's party elections but relations with Ong have been strained.
Now, whoever becomes president or interim president will have to grapple with the prospect of leading a weak and divided party.
Added to this is the fact that most Chinese Malaysians outside MCA have largely rejected the idea of race based political parties as outmoded and there is a widespread perception that MCA is a sell-out that is partially responsible for their perceived second-class citizenship.
The power struggle has also delivered another blow to the already tattered image of the party and so deep is the contempt for MCA that many have even expressed hope that it would hasten the party's demise so as to rip apart the perceived facade of a multi-cultural Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
Monash University Malaysia political analyst James Chin said the current BN set-up has sidelined MCA from giving real input into national policy but forcing it to focus on solving day-to-day problems like hawker licences, rubbish collection and dirty drains.
A term has even been coined to disparage some leaders from such parties — "longkang minister".
"The dilemma is simple; since they have no power they cannot bring about reforms and change in government. All they can do is talk about reforms and change," Chin said.
"Real reforms and change can only take place if Umno takes the lead, and on Umno’s terms. They have to work within the parameters established by Umno. Umno knows this and all the BN component parties know this. That’s the bottom line," he added.
And this is the real struggle that MCA will have to grapple with, no matter who prevails today.
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