'ABC' can topple Chua, warns Hwa Beng

Sacked MCA member Datuk Lee Hwa Beng is confident that he can gather enough support for the "Anything But Chua Soi Lek" (ABC) movement within the party to topple the party president.

He said he had received encouraging response from grassroots leaders prior to his expulsion from the party last Thursday.

"Those who care for the party and for the Chinese community want anyone but Chua. Those supporting Chua are people who are being taken care by him," he said when commenting on his expulsion from the party for attempting to start ABC.

He said Chua had to go if MCA was to recover from its humiliating defeat in the last general election.

"I wanted to start ABC for MCA to come up again. We are at the lowest level now with less than 10% of the Chinese community's support.

"We only have seven parliamentary seats and 11 state seats now; he (Chua), by right, should take responsibility for this dismal performance," said Lee, who was a MCA member for 26 years.

The former three-term Subang Jaya assemblyman said he was, however, not working with party deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, who is also at odds with Chua.

Meanwhile, former president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, who is among Chua's detractors, said Lee's sacking came as a surprise to him.

"It came as a surprise to me, I haven't heard from him (Lee) for a while now. I also wasn't informed of the reason for his expulsion, I thought it was due to the Malaysian Insider inviting Lim Kit Siang (DAP national adviser) for the launch of Lee's book (on PKFZ)," he said.

Asked if deposing Chua is the answer to MCA's revival, he said: "As past president, I know there are procedures to decision-making (in terms of general decision-making in the party) and that decision-making is based on consensus.

"Therefore, it should always be collective responsibility (that decisions are not unilaterally taken by Chua). That is all I will say."

Ong added that he had not been involved in party politics for some time and, therefore, could not elaborate on recent events in the party.

The Sundaily