Out-of-touch MCA leaders head for party polls on Saturday

(From left) MCA presidential candidates Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, Gan Ping Sieu and Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai during nomination day in the MCA headquarters, Kuala Lumpur, on Monday. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, December 19, 2013.The no-show by MCA candidates at an anti-graft pledge signing on Tuesday underlined a serious problem within the party – that despite talk of change and renewal, its leaders seemed out of touch with the concerns of Malaysians.

A poll by the Merdeka Center on December 2012 revealed that 51% of Malaysians put “fighting corruption” as the No. 1 priority of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) Government and yet, none of the 72 MCA leaders vying for various posts at its elections this week, could spare the time or send representatives to show their commitment towards reform.

This was despite liberally sprinkling their manifestos with words like “dynamic”, “transform” and “empowerment” and reiterating them at press conferences and campaign trails.

“Perhaps they are giving utmost importance to their personal glory, above the country’s interests. Please be reminded that the perception is going to affect how we fare in the 14th general election,” said a disappointed vice-presidential hopeful Dr Leong Yong Kong, who organised the ceremony.

Under the pledge, those elected to party posts must mobilise both BN and Pakatan Rakyat foes to table a parliamentary motion to make the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the attorney general answerable only to Parliament.

With such cold response to a topic hotly debated by Malaysians, the future looks bleak for the senior partner in the multi-ethnic BN coalition that professes to represent the 6.9 million Chinese, even as it goes to the polls this week to choose a new crop of leaders.

The Youth and Wanita wings will have its elections today and Friday respectively, while the main body will hold its elections on Saturday, before convening its annual general assembly on Sunday.

“It doesn’t sound like the candidates are convinced about reform measures needed to shape the country’s governance structure.

“As far as the public can tell, the candidates seemed to be more concerned with internal party support,” said Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) chief operating officer Tricia Yeoh.

Presidential aspirant Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, who is embroiled in a three-way tussle for the top post, tried to play down the matter, saying that a leader should not be evaluated based on signing of pledges, but on his or her deeds.

“The real litmus test is not about signing a commitment under the full media glare, but whether he has the guts to say certain things and ruffle feathers in the course of doing so,” he said.

However, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies visiting fellow Dr James Chin offered a harsher assessment, bluntly pointing out that signing of such pledges would not have any impact with Malaysians at all.

“Most people will see it as a publicity stunt. They already regard corruption as part of the system so no matter what you say or do, no one will believe it.”

He added that MCA elections had never been about the Chinese community anyway.

“MCA represent the MCA, they don’t represent anyone else.”

Against this glum backdrop, how can the party move forward?

To make any headway, the Chinese party needs to find its footing in the current political landscape, on the back of a more demanding and discerning electorate who had transcended the traditional service-oriented culture provided by the party.

Already weak from endless infighting in recent years, the party’s inability to check Umno, BN’s prime mover, saw MCA winning only 15 federal and 32 state seats in the 2008 general election.

It was further debilitated in the 13th general election, ending up with only seven parliamentary and 11 state seats.

“They need to resolve their leadership problem and consolidate their goals, taking into account the current political scenario.

“It has to be more than words… they need consistent, principled leaders who put nation-building ahead of everything,” said Ooi Kee Beng of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.

So, as the party members cast their votes this week, they have to take heed of this consideration: are they voting for short-term gains or voting to save the party from sinking into further oblivion?