Infighting within MCA continued to dog the party even on Chinese New Year today, with banners attacking its president and deputy president appearing at the party's open house in Kuala Lumpur.
One banner that greeted arrivees to the party's open house targeted deputy president Chua Soi Lek, mocking him as the 'Sex Hero.'“Don't gamble away the pride of the Chinese community. We don't want a sex hero. He has already lost his face. We still want ours", read the banner in reference to a scandal over a sex video that emerged of which Chua was an unwitting star.
Party president Ong Tee Keat, meanwhile, was attacked in another banner for being “unable to keep his promise", a possible a reference to his vow to step down if he was voted out during the MCA emergency general meeting that was held on Oct 10 last year.
Yet another banner read: "One cannot keep his promise, the other one has no shame. Don't turn MCA into something unbearable. When will integrity return to MCA?"The banners, hanging on the overhead bridge and road divider opposite the MCA headquarters on Jalan Ampang, were found by media personnel and party members when they arrived this morning for the open house.
Party workers managed to take them down shortly before the arrival of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at 10am.
Show of unity
Vice president Liow Tiong Lai - who had broken ranks with Ong after both Ong and Chua decided to bury the hatchet to remain in power - proclaimed his innocence over the banners.
Chua, meanwhile, declined to lend support to any moves to investigate the matter.
"I am a simple man. I don't care (about these things). Let the people judge for themselves."
He also said this was the nature of politics, of which the “sabotage” of people's character was expected.
“"Democracy offers choices to people under the system. But people use a variety of other means to launch personal attacks and acts of sabotage."
During the open house, however, Ong, Chua and Liow seemed unperturbed by the incident, and were models of unity and decorum.
The only noticeable absence this morning was MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong.
When queried about this, Liow - who is said to have been Wee's political tag-team partner - said on Wee's behalf that the latter had a Chinese New Year function to attend in Malacca.
Let us start the week with some good Buddhist philosophy...
Lord Buddha was sitting under a banyan tree. One day, a furious Brahman came to him and started abusing him.
The Brahmin thought that Lord Buddha would reciprocate in the same manner, but to his utter surprise, there was not the slightest change in the expression on his face.
Now, the Brahmin became more furious. He hurled more and more abuses at Buddha. However, Lord Buddha was completely unmoved. Actually there was a look of compassion on his face. Ultimately the Brahmin was tired of abusing him.
He asked, "I have been abusing you, but why are you not angry at all ?"
Lord Buddha calmly replied, "My dear brother, I have not accepted a single abuse from you."
"But you heard all of them, didn't you?" The Brahmin argued
half-heartedly.
Buddha said, "I do not need the abuses, so why should I even hear them?"
Now the Brahmin was even more puzzled. He could not understand the calm reply from Lord Buddha.
Looking at his disturbed face, Buddha further explained, "All those abuses remain with you."
"It cannot be possible. I have hurled all of them at you," the Brahmin persisted.
Buddha calmly repeated his reply, "But I have not accepted even a single abuse from you! Dear brother, suppose you give some coins to somebody, and if he does not accept them, with whom will those coins remain?"
The Brahman replied, "If I have given the coins and not needed by someone, then naturally they would remain with me."
With a meaningful smile on his face, Buddha said, "Now you are right. The same has happened with your abuses. You came here and hurled abuses at me, but I have not accepted a single abuse from you. Hence, all those abuses remain with you only. So there is no reason to be angry with you."
The Brahmin remained speechless. He was ashamed of his behavior and begged for Buddha's forgiveness.
Lesson to Learn from This Story:
Inner calmness and peace are keys to a contented life. You know who you are and what you want in life, so don't respond to what person said about you in anger. Control your anger with patience and calmness. That is the biggest strength of a wise man.
Never take some one for granted, hold every person close to your heart because you might wake up one day and realize that you have lost a diamond while you were too busy collecting stones.
Putting up anti -Ong , anti Chua banners during this festive season has done more damage and to their ( Group of 13 ) cause than to Ong and Chua . Btw this effect goes back to them since it was never accepted as in the above philosophy .....they shall reap what they sow ...paticularly the one auspiciously absent .
