Dr Chua faces opposition during first CC meet

A picture speaks a thousand words. While a cheery Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek (right) addresses the press, his sombre deputy, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai looks on. – Pictures by Choo Choy May

UPDATE 1

By Clara Chooi

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek had his first taste of bitterness this afternoon when he was faced with voices of dissent against his leadership, during his maiden central committee meeting held at Corus Hotel here.

The opposition, which came unsurprisingly from his deputy Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, could be a harbinger of more to come.

The Malaysian Insider understands that Liow had raised objection during the appointment of Dr Chua’s proposed list of state chairmen.

According to a party source, the Health Minister had declined the job of Pahang state chairman, a post he had apparently been lobbying for during the tenure of former party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

“Liow no longer wanted to hold on to the Penang state chairmanship. He felt it was too heavy of a burden to take on, especially with Penang being led by Pakatan Rakyat. He had to fork out plenty of cash and time. That was why he proposed to take on the Pahang post instead.

“Today, he got what he wanted but still he was unhappy and rejected it. You know that when you are holding such high post in the party and you do not take on a state chairman post, it obviously shows you are out to wage a war,” said the source today.

Liow’s objections could also mean that the MCA leadership, although said to be all-inclusive with a mixed team of supporters from all camps, might still be faced with hiccups every now and again.

Today’s meeting, which lasted about three hours, saw the appointments of the party’s top administrative posts, namely that of secretary-general, treasurer-general and national organising secretary, their deputies, as well as eight more CC members.

Dr Chua also appointed members of his presidential council team and the party’s list of state liaison chairmen.

His son Chua Tee Yong also got appointed into the presidential council , what a joke ! this is called tainted appointment . Unite the Party ? My foot !

Liow, the party’s No 2 had always been vocal in his disapproval of Dr Chua, and had been one of the leaders to back former president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat during a row over Dr Chua’s sacking.

Dr Chua was sacked in August last year due to his involvement in a sex scandal that stained his political career in 2007.

In fact, prior to his election as deputy president, Liow had conveyed the message that he could not work with Dr Chua.

During the party poll on March 28, Liow had thrown his support behind Dr Chua’s biggest contender, former party president Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting.

The result of the polls had, however forced the two together in an odd marriage, leaving Liow with no choice but to accept his fate of being the deputy to a leader he had strongly opposed.

According to a party source however, Liow had no plans to place blind faith in Dr Chua’s leadership.

“He has to draw a line to protest, to show his supporters he has not surrendered.

“He has to show some form of opposition. He said that he did not want the Pahang job because the previous chairman was already doing a very good job.

“Pahang is a relatively small state, with only about over 160 delegates. It is not like Johor, Perak or Selangor.

He refused it but was made to accept it later,” said the source.

The source however predicted that Liow was just a proxy for other former party leaders like Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy and Ka Ting himself.

“Look at him just now, sauntering out of the meeting in a huff, followed by his crew of people like (Youth chief Datuk) Wee (Ka Siong). You just know what is happening,” said the source.

Wee, according to the source, was also upset at not having been given a state chairman post. He was formerly the Malacca state liaison chairman.

Liow’s voice of dissent was apparently joined with that of the party’s former secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, who is also the older brother of Ka Ting.

“Ka Chuan also showed protest. He turned down the post of religious bureau chairman,” said the source.

Aside from Liow and Ka Chuan, another significant protest against Dr Chua’s leadership was shown in the missing presence of Wanita MCA chief Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun.

Chew, who was also not given a state chairman post despite having been the former Perlis MCA chairman, is in fact expected to resign from her party posts after her wing’s central committee meeting tomorrow.

She had pledged she would do so even before last year’s Oct 10 extraordinary general meeting, declaring that she would never work with Dr Chua as president.

The source added that the not-so-subtle signs of opposition during today’s meet, although relatively mild, showed that Dr Chua’s tenure as president may be peppered by similar occasions of opposition over the year.

“It will be fireworks from here on end. Especially if Liow still decides to reject the Pahang offer. We will see if he still takes it on,” said the source.

After the meeting earlier, Dr Chua had announced Liow’s new post in a press conference but his words were greeted with a quick disclaimer from Liow that it was only a “temporary” post.