Don't let MCA 'weeping drama' influence events

I refer to the Malaysiakini report 'Disowned' duo make tearful plea for EGM.

Liow Tiong Lai's faction or generally referred to as the 'Third Force' is just a splinter faction from Ong Tee Keat' main force after the Oct 10 EGM. Ong inherited these 'political babies' when their joint mentors Chan Kong Ckoy and Ong Ka Ting suddenly faded into forced retirement after the 2008 March general election.

Initially, this group of 'babies' were mentored to take over from Ka Ting and Kong Choy when both retired willingly. But men can only propose and destiny had it that the Ka Ting and Kong Choy combination could not survive longer than one term.

Ka Ting Kong Choy are gone for good but their residual influence continues to haunt the party, particularly during turbulent times. This is 'puppet politics' and MCA cannot live on puppet politics just as Umno cannot live under the shadows of Dr Mahathir Mohamad or Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Therefore, Ong made the right move when he purged these people from the MCA presidential council earlier this week.

There is nothing to cry about actually. Wee Ka Siong and Chew Mei Fun are the culprits behind the current crisis starting with the sacking of Chua Soi Lek on Aug 26 . Thereafter, immediately after the Oct 10 EGM, Wee and Chew led by Liow jumped into action to grab power through the Oct 15 central committee meeting.

Had they succeeded on that fateful day, Chew would have replaced Ng Yen Yen and Wee would take over from Ong as full ministers. Look how great the rewards are so no wonder Wee and Chew were so tireless in working for the removal of Ong whether constitutional or otherwise.

Why must they cry? All they need to do is not cry but self-reflect and soul search for what they had done to Soi Lek on the night of Aug 26. Both Chew and Wee were talking flamboyantly and rebutted sharp questions from the press on the issue of democracy in MCA when they joined forces to push for the sacking of Chua.

To them, at that point of the time, it was alright and perfectly democratic to sack a popularly elected deputy president. Now that Ong has used his presidential powers to remove them from an appointed post, they pretend to be upset. Wee and Chew cried foul and wept openly to capitalise on public sympathy. This is a very much a drama prearranged to arouse public sentiment over a small political matter.

Why cry? Cry for what? Cry for the rakyat's sufferings or for their own political agenda? They cried jointly so that more people will join them in subverting MCA by playing a game called 'a party within a party'.

They cried jointly so that more members will stand behind them and be fooled by them into pursuing the illegal Nov 28 EGM. Have they ever thought how Chua Soi Lek supporters felton Aug 26?

Now that Najib Abdul Razak the prime minister can offer to help, the PM must help to get rid of Ong Ka Ting's and Chan Kong Choy's puppet politics in MCA for otherwise the MCA will never be peaceful. The prime minister himself has suffered enough by Mahathir's puppeteering in Umno, so he knows what to do.

On the issue of fresh elections, it is something not worth trying for there is no guarantee that fresh polls will bring about a balanced team. Before the fresh polls are held, everybody will swear to abide by the outcome but the losers will not return to the fold. The loser will not accept graciously the fact that they are losers.

Just like what is happening right now, the Liow faction which commands no majority in the central committee, refuses to abide by the central committee's decision. Liow wants to have an EGM to push for fresh polls, even if it means holding an illegal session for the 2,380 central delegates on Nov 28.

They understand no democracy and their democratic convictions hold true only when they are in charge of running the party. The moment other factions run the show, Liow and his followers will go all out to disrupt everything including subverting the party constitution.

So why carry on with fresh polls when no definite and secured solution can emerge from the ballot box? The work of Liow faction is more or less like the Pakatan Rakyat parties. They are only comfortable when democratic elections happen to bring victory to them. When this does not happen, Pakatan parties will often blame the Election Commission for the slightest mistake.

Come on, MCA does not belong to the 10 CC members only. Just because only 10 rightful CC members and a couple of frustrated leaders harp on EGM and fresh elections over and over again, we quickly conclude that the situation is very serious. Are we putting too much pressure on ourselves and are we being fair to MCA members at large?

Are we unduly influenced by the scenes of the two deputy ministers weeping openly, and jump to conclude that something very serious has happened in the MCA? Is weeping a sign of a political crisis or is it just an indication of emotional weakness?

We have got to be sensible and reasonable. Nobody should make use of this 'weeping drama' to influence political events. Politics is meant for the courageous and people who are emotionally- matured.

If we allow ourselves to be so easily influenced by tears, we may as well amend the Election Act to make way for the underaged people to participate in the voting process. By doing that, more people will weep openly when something goes only slightly wrong.