Survey shows backing for Tee Keat

Thursday, 25 March 2010 15:41

BANGI – A Merdeka Centre poll released Thursday shows that most Chinese voters back incumbent president Ong Tee Keat to lead the MCA.

The telephone survey covering 805 respondents across Peninsular Malaysia randomly selected adults aged 21 and above. It was carried out between March 17 and March 23.

The poll shopwed 60% of the Chinese respondents wanted Tee Keat to contest

Some 57% support the idea of Ong Ka Ting running as president again.

At the same time, 47% of Chinese respondents agreed that Dr Chua Soi Lek contest in the election.

The centre also found in its public opinion survey that 67 % of Chinese respondents say that the party remains relevant to the community.

Sixty-two percent of all respondents agreed that the MCA was relevant to the Chinese community.

A smaller majority of 51% agreed that the party was "talking about issues that are important to the Chinese community".

Asked what they felt were the causes of the problems within the MCA, 25% of Chinese respondents said it was the weakening of MCA's position following the 12th general election.

Some 22% chose the exposure of the PKFZ scandal by Tee Keat as the main reason.

Among non-Chinese respondents, 41% of the Malays and 45% of the Indian respondents say the caue of MCA's problems was the party's weakened position after the last general election.

Ong's first choice of people

When asked specifically about the PKFZ scandal, 51% of Chinese respondents thought that Tee Keat's actions to expose the problem improved the reputation of the MCA while 23% disagreed and felt it damaged the party.

Among all respondents, the perception was split: 39% of each group felt that it damaged or improved the reputation of the party while the remaining 22% did not know.

The majority wanted Tee Keat to contest but the outlook is unclear.

A plurality, 30%, of Chinese respondents said Tee Keat was their first choice to lead the party among a slate of leaders while 15% favour former president Ka Ting to make a comeback.

Chua comes third with 12% of Chinese respondents choosing him as their first choice.

When asked what they thought of Tee Keat winning the party election, a plurality of Chinese respondents - 47% - said they were not sure while 14% felt certain that he would win.

At the same time, 37% of them felt that he would lose.

Asked about Tee Keat's leadership traits, 62% of Chinese respondents felt he was "combative" but a large majority of 69% also felt that he was "courageous".

Majority want a vocal leader in the MCA

On the leadership characteristics desired of the MCA presidency, 26% of Chinese respondents say they wanted someone who could "stand and speak up on important issues."

This was followed by 10% who wanted a leader that was "fair and democratic".

Asked what the party needed to do to regain their confidence, 21% of Chinese respondents said they wanted the MCA to "retain good leaders" while 9% each of the other groups wanted the party to "resolve the internal conflicts" and "listen to the people".

The survey was funded via Merdeka Center's internally generated resources. Respondents were selected using the random, stratified sampling method and structured along the national electorate profile and specifically proportional to gender, ethnicity, age groups and state of residence.

View respondents' profile and other findings at www.merdeka.org

— Malaysian Mirror