Top MCA leaders with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak during the party's annual meeting in October 2012. - The Malaysian Insider file pic, October 19, 2013.MCA’s Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) tomorrow is not just about two personalities at odds with each other, but a platform for party leaders to gauge their chances to contest in the December party polls.
While MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who is embroiled in an open spat with his deputy Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, has maintained he will not seek re-election, his critics say otherwise.
Chua also felt that his estranged number two, who earlier announced that he would vie for the presidency, is not fit to lead the party that represents 6.9 million Chinese, saying Liow was “weak” and “indecisive”.
Besides voting for resolutions at the EGM which seeks to censure Liow for dereliction of duties, as well as to reverse a decision not to take up government posts after performing badly at the 13th general election, the meeting will give the 2,400 delegates the opportunity to weigh potential leaders ahead of the party's December polls.
“I won’t be surprised if some leaders take the opportunity to test the waters with delegates to size up their chances to contest for higher posts.
“After all, these are the same delegates who will be voting in the party elections two months later,” said a party warlord.
In the run-up to tomorrow’s EGM, the reading on the ground is that the EGM will be very close, with Dr Chua having a slight edge over Liow.
If delegates vote for Liow to be censured, it will amount to a vote of no-confidence against the former health minister, ending his presidential ambition.
Dr Chua had recently called on delegates to give their full support to the resolutions, saying they are for the benefit the party and its members, and not for him.
He stressed the need for younger leaders be given opportunity to lead the party in time for the next general election, in which some seven million of the 16 million voters will be aged 30 and below.
“We need young people who can identify and relate to these young voters. We need to rejuvenate the party by getting younger group of leaders to come in,” Dr Chua said.
Senior leaders such as vice-president Datuk Chor Chee Heung, secretary-general Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha and treasurer Datuk Tan Chai Ho have privately indicated their willingness to make way for younger leaders.
“If Chua, Liow and other leaders stayed out, it will open up the field for a free-for-all. Perhaps that’s what the party needs to start afresh,” notes political analyst Khoo Kay Peng.
So who are the young leaders who can step up and offer an alternative to the MCA?
Among them are vice-president Gan Ping Sieu, Youth chief Datuk Wee Ka Siong and central committee member Datuk Chua Tee Yong, who is Dr Chua’s son.
Wee is seen as having the best bet as he is experienced and vocal, especially on education issues. Gan is pleasant but he lacked grassroots support, while the younger Chua is seen as a political newbie and is not expected to appeal to the anti-Chua faction.
Regardless who leads the party, the leadership has to ensure it can revive itself or risk becoming more irrelevant.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.