Low support ratings may spell the end for BN, Soi Lek, Tsu Koon

Low support ratings may spell the end for BN, Soi Lek, Tsu Koon

End of BN ? End of Chinese political power in Malaysia . Chinese digging their own graves !

Malaysia Chronicle

If the latest survey is accurate, then it certainly looks like the end is near for the BN, especially for the heads of Gerakan and MCA, Koh Tsu Koon and Chua Soi Lek respectively.

According to the Malaysian Insider, the latest opinion poll shows only 1 percent of Chinese voters supported or thought well of Tsu Koon’s leadership. Soi Lek fared better with 9 percent.

“The findings are disastrous for both men, and sad to say, they have only themselves to blame,” PKR strategic director Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

“If I were the BN chief, I would very be concerned. There is now a high possibility for Koh and Chua to be ousted whether internally by their own party or by Umno instigation. Definitely, they won’t be able to add any value to the BN. In fact, they will both be liabilities in the coming general election.”

Koh Tsu Koon

Koh, a youthful looking 61-year old academic and chief minister for Penang from 1990 to 2008, was appointed a senator and given a Cabinet position by Najib in 2009. Under Koh's timid leadership, not only did Gerakan lose ground through the years, it was virtually wiped out from its northern bastion, managing to keep only 2 parliamentary seats.

Gerakan has been largely comatose despite a much-trumpeted revamp in political strategy in late 2008, during which Koh had promised the party would aim to reform BN from "within" rather than joining Pakatan to effect change. Gerakan leaders have blamed fiery racial rhetoric from the likes of Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin for its devastating loss of ground amongst the Chinese electorate.

But as soon as Koh joined the Cabinet, all traces of dynamism in the party vanished. In recent months, there has been speculation of a movement within Gerakan calling itself gG or geraklah Gerakan to appeal to Koh to make way for new and more capable blood. The calls for Koh to step down - if he does not offer to quit - are likely to grow now that it is evident his personal support has been whittled down to nearly zero.

Chua Soi Lek

As for Soi Lek, pundits say he is a tougher proposition than Koh. Although Chua commands slightly stronger support, he is even less liked by the Chinese who see him as sly, vindictive and possessing a tendency for megalomania. They also point to his sex scandal.

Few MCA watchers believe Chua will keep his promise to hold office for “just one year”. They believe he will maneuver, without sparing any dirty tactics, to retain the MCA presidency.

“Chua is picking all the wrong issues maybe because these are easy ones. He seems to think if the MCA dares to shout back at Umno, then Chinese support will return to MCA. But are the Chinese so childish, are they gangsters who just want to see a racial fight break out?” DAP leader Ean Yong told Malaysia Chronicle.

Ean was referring to a recent Chinese Economic Congress organized by MCA attended by top corporate leaders and Prime Minister Najib Razak himself. At the congress, MCA presented a 13-point memorandum to Najib, seeking the reduction of a 30 percent equity target for Malays and Bumiputera.

The 'sensitive' request opened the door for Malay race-champions like Perkasa and even Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to lash out at MCA. Although, Chua and his team returned fire with their own noisy rhetoric, few believe that MCA will really follow through.

Already, there are questions why MCA did not ask Umno the tough questions, especially on corruption by the Umno elite which many have blamed for the country’s poor economic performance and why after nearly 40 years, the Malays and the Bumis are still unable to achieve their 30 percent target.

“What is surprising is the reluctance by MCA, Umno or even Perkasa to address this important issue of a monstrous hijack of RM52 billion worth of Bumi shares. If the RM52 billion worth of Bumi shares still remain in Bumi hands, then the 30 per cent Bumi or Malay equity target under the NEP would have long been achieved,” said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

He was referring to government statistics that since 1971, RM54 billion in shares were granted to Malay and Bumiputera interests but only RM2 billion still remained in Malay hands. Najib had revelaed this in June last year, saying that the Malay and Bumi target was now only 19.4 percent.