'Greedy' Soi Lek eyes Malay-dominated seats in Perak, N Sembilan or Johor

As predicted by pundits, MCA president Chua Soi Lek is casting an eye on parliamentary seats in Perak and Negri Sembilan apart from his own state of Johor, where he is expected to face the brunt of Chinese voters and suffer an ignominous defeat.

"He will go for the BN's Malay-dominated safe seats. It is a telling sign that he doesn't dare stand in Johor. I am not sure if MCA delegtes will be happy that he is trying to grab 2 seats - his old Labis constituency for his son Tee Yong and now a fresh safe seat for himself. Even Umno might not like that sort of greedy behaviour," PKR vice president Chua Jui Meng toldMalaysia Chronicle.

False humility?

Soi Lek had over the weekend said in a speech that he had received invitations from the chief ministers of all three states to stand in the coming polls. But instead of rushing to accept, Soi Lek said he wanted to get approval from his party mates first.

“Just because I am the party president, it does not mean I can simply contest anywhere, or take over someone else’s position for my own interest,” a Chinese daily reported Soi Lek as saying.

Indeed Soi Lek's reading of his own popularity is in complete contrast with most followers of the political scene, who see him as having destroyed the last of the MCA's credibility with the Chinese community.

His critics say this final move to join the scramble for seats would only prove that he was like Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon. The Gerakan leader, who has been publicly humiliated with calls to quit, has been accused of putting his personal interests above his party's.

Testing the waters

Soi Lek may also be testing the waters, said Pakatan leaders.

"What can Chua Soi Lek offer the rakyat (people). Morally, he is not an example. Politically, the MCA is subservient to Umno. People will not vote for him unless he can show how he is better than Pakatan Rakyat leaders or that BN is better than Pakatan," Perak DAP chairman Ngeh Koo Ham told Malaysia Chronicle.

Nonetheless, Jui Meng said that despite Umno members' unhappiness with Soi Lek and his DVD-sex scandal, Najib would have no choice but to agree to Soi Lek's demand for a seat to contest in the next general election, widely expected to be held early next year.

"Relations between MCA and Umno may be patchy now but it has not gone to the stage where Umno can outright reject a call from the MCA president to contest a seat. They will give him a safe seat but very grudgingly and they are right to question, why? Why should Soi Lek, who has not done a thing, leverage on Malay support for Umno? Why not reserve such seats for other Malays leaders?" said Jui Meng.

Malaysia Chronicle