KUALA LUMPUR – MCA president Ong Tee Keat said party elections should be held but only at the right time.
He reiterated that he had consistently maintained that party polls should be held but stressed that MCA leaders must first get their priorities right by focusing on the next general election instead of harping on the need to have fresh party polls.
He said this in an interview with Bernama ahead of the party's annual general assembly here on Sunday.
However, in an ironic twist, his advice came just about the time that his deputy, Dr Chua Soi Lek, vice-president Kang Cho Ha and six central executive members announced their resignation Thursday.
Look at the bigger picture
Ong, who is Transport Minister, said there was no point in winning the battle at the party level only to lose the war in the next general election.
"At a time when tension in the party has somewhat eased and the overwhelming majority of members want to move on, I think we should rightly focus on gearing up for the next general election," he said.
"If you want to talk about pride and honour, show it in your deeds to the people, not about party positions. The prime minister's slogan is 'People First', not "Positions First". Let's get our priorities right," said Ong.
He said the action by certain quarters to put up banners criticising him and Chua at the MCA Chinese New Year open house on Feb 14 was an unnecessary development, as it had taken place on one of the most auspicious days for the Chinese community.
Wlling to overlook offence
Though saying that he was willing to forgive those responsible, he said the action was certainly not healthy.
"But I wouldn't want to call this one-off episode a trend. Perhaps, there were some who were emotional over certain developments in the party.
"They may have acted rashly or become too emotional. I will never allow such antics to get the better of me. Let's get our priorities right and focus on moving forward," he said.
On earlier speculation that some people may want to disrupt the weekend's AGM, Ong said he was not sure if that was true.
"Why would anyone want to disrupt a legal meeting to discuss important national and party matters? Why would anyone want to stir trouble at a time when the public is watching the MCA closely, especially after the setback of March 8?
"Surely, mature party leaders and members would want to use the AGM to find ways to win back public support in time for the next general election," he said.
Plea for unity
Asked if he would hold talks with the faction headed by party vice-president and Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai to "solve the issue once and for all", Ong maintained that his door was always open to those who were sincere in returning to the fold and uniting the party for the people's benefit.
During the interview, Ong reiterated that he intended to fulfil his electoral pledge of further democratising the party where the party initially planned to expand the electoral system into one-member-one-vote.
"It hit us that the plan was too ambitious and it would be a logistical nightmare to implement it. Now, we are in the midst of fine-tuning the system to broaden the voter base and several proposals are being studied. If everything goes well, we should be able to put it in place by the next election," he said.
Ong also hoped that party members, leaders as well as the Malaysian Chinese community, would continue to support the party strongly "as it claws its way back to redeeming its pride" in the 13th general election.
"We should never lose sight of this. To the Malaysian Chinese and those from other races, I'd like to assure them that the MCA has learnt from some of its past mistakes. We are changing and moving forward. The MCA will not let the people down." - Bernama
OTK have set his priority right, by going to the ground listening to the people and taking actions to improve the people's wellfare. In so shot a time he have done alot.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, CSL and LTL are busy ploting, how to topple OTK so that they can grap the party leadership. Oviousely CSL and LTL flip-flopped......
Their actions speak louder than words. CSL is not sincere in the GUP, his actions all the while does not show that he care for the party, but to be the party President. If he really care about the party interest, he should withdraw from active politic long ago when his immorality come to light. He still did not get it and he know nuts about devoting to party interest and what he is doing now is axactly self interest. He is the cause of current problem and a libility to MCA.
Then again, these egocentric people will do everything and anything pretentious to further complicate the matter which was already made more difficult by them. This they are very clever and their actions are dividing MCA further. To me he is mad and taking MCA into darkness and there are people willingly and blindly following his destructive path.
Sigh............
The outcome of the MCA election will be based on money payment from the candidates. It is boom time for them. It is such a pity that the chinese interests are in the hands of such corrupt and selfish people.
ReplyDeleteOTK should fight fire with fire. He should use money politics. He should corrupt MCA. Only with this can he get rid of of the back stabbing Liows and CSLs.
He must be like Qin Shih Huang. He must take steps to cut the heads of all these traitors and show no mercy. He must be ruthless. He must not hold back. He must go all out. Break all rules of morality or legality, if he has to.
OTK may lose this battle but not the war. It is obvious the voting pattern of the current CD tell us that it will be difficult for OTK to defense his position, however the next presidential election which involve every division to select new CD then it will be a difference ball game. It is important for OTK to take his case to the ground to get the grass root support, that where real power lies. I believe majority of the grass root MCA members want OTK to lead, these people have close contact with the community and know our aspiration.
ReplyDeletehuray.... at last, so happy to wait until today, yahooooooooo.... let celebrate
ReplyDeleteOTK make a new history in his life, the most lousy head, and the shorter head in MCA now, kekeke....
ReplyDeletedear all MCA Party Loyalists,
ReplyDeletewould like to strongly urge EVERY single party loyalist to stick a little bit LONGER and see if things are really going to be as bad as most of u are thinking for time being. MCA is very much relevant as compared to many other political parties (particularly the decaying PAKATANs). MCA definitely need to get over this internal struggle once and for all (with the circus led by LTL).
i'm trying to view at this CSL's resignation notice as part of the GUP's move. of course, i might be wrong as i'm juz an ordinary member.
OTK has appointed CSL (being a non-minister) to handle the MONKEYS ... to keep the MONKEYS happy and quiet instead of always coming out with public press statements.
while CLS doing that, OTK carried on with his TRUE BZness as president, mp and minister without entertaining the MONKEYS at all ... over the period when MONKEYS were being handled by CSL, the MONKEYS made lots of stupid statementS which made themselves looked even more STUPID. the more they talk, the more we can feel how EMPTY they are.
mayB, the time has come by now when a proper MCA Election needs to be held to clean up the MONKEYS to prepare a new row of leaders to revamp MCA as well as to get on with REAL GE preparation.
i dunno the outcome but juz tot of dropping a few words to encourage the party loyalists NOT to give up hope in your party. many efforts are being carried out within the party to re-brand and redefine. PART of the important efforts is of course to TRASH the TRASHes ...
cheers and have faith in MCA, my dear commrades.
Hahaha! Mca members comforting themselves. Do you think CSL would announce his resignation just before the AGM to control these Brutus. By calling off the AGM at this stage, MCA would loose at least 2M RM for hotels, foods, canopies, chairs and other arrangements. 2M RM can help a lot of people. Now it is up in smoke.
ReplyDeleteCome on be real. CSL is also a big snake. Bigger than Liow Tiong Lai or Wee Ka Siong.
MCA CD must think whether they want a strong and respectable MCA lead by OTK or a split, weak and a disgrace MCA lead CSL/LTL.
ReplyDeleteHere is my analysis. CSL team up with LTL gang is for convenient motive only, like PAS sleeping with DAP, in CSL/LTL case they are using each other strength to kill OTK, but what are their weaknesses. Both of them have good records of backstabbing and their grievance are well known, who is the adulterer and who is behind the filming of famous DVD?, who want CSL to be kick out of MCA?. With so many ill feeling among them how their combination can be sincere, before you know it, they will start to backstab and kill each other when they have achieve their goal to topple OTK. This is all at the expense of MCA. Open up your eyes, with such people, in what way they can unit MCA, they have already done a lot of damage, do you want to let them destroy MCA further???. On the hand OTK never play such dirty politics, he offer himself as President base on his clean and honorable records and a promise to reforms MCA which will be respected by the community. He walk the talk.
CSL/LTL offer empty rhetoric which is evil intended....their dirty acts and behavior are testimonial.....
Hehe. The DVD actor and DVD producer finally coming together for convenience. I think the DVD actor will wait his chance to whack the DVD producer. Mark my word.
ReplyDeleteCan you guys recall the votes obtained by CSL and OTK in the 10/10 EGM? ...yes 90% (45% each)
ReplyDeleteSince then Liow's rating has gone down the drain and CSL has been seen as UMNO balls carrier and polisher.
For MCA to survive, it must not be seen in the eyes of the Chinese that it is scare of UMNO!
Everybody wants to know the ending of PKFZ..so OTK you have one up for yourself. Work on the PKFZ and make those guys who were involved with it shit their pants!
OTK Go for the DO OR DIE MISSION. The Chinese community will remember you. We will support you.
ReplyDeletei was wondering why politiction all very thick skin, exspecially OTK and CSL. never know how to write shy in their mind.....
ReplyDelete