FULL REPORT KUALA LUMPUR: MCA's deputy president Dr Chua Soi Lek today announced his decision to challenge incumbent Ong Tee Keat for the party presidency on March 28. Also in the race for the top post is former president Ong Ka Ting.
Earlier today incumbent vice-president Liow Tiong Lai announced that he will run for the deputy president's post in the MCA election next Sunday. He joins Kong Cho Ha for the second highest post in the party.
Chua, accompanied by hundreds of supporters at the Corus Hotel here, had Kong by his side when the announcement was made, an indication that the two will be working as a team to take over the party's leadership, although this was dismissed by Chua.
“We do not combine in factions or teams. As I said in my speech, whoever who is chosen as president has to accept those who are chosen by the delegates. Only with that thinking can we destroy all the factions in the party at this present moment,” he said.
He was also confident of being able to unite the party and transform it “so that we can face the coming general election”.
“I have been going down to the ground to engage with the grassroots. I understand their aspirations and their needs and wants. Hence, I have a strategy on how to unite the MCA members and bring about the stability that the party needs today,” he said.
Chua, whose announcement was interrupted by continous show of support from his loyalists, also criticised Ka Ting for the party's unprecedented losses in the last general election.
He further admitted that his detractors would continue to use his 2007 sex scandal as a weapon to stop him from winning.
“I have accepted the fate that in politics, there will always be those who will make use of anything and everything for the sake of political gains. But I give you my assurance that I will never use personal issues to win.
“All top leaders in MCA have their own weaknesses; it is just a matter of whether those weaknesses are exposed or not,” he said.
Liow ready to work with anyone
Liow, meanwhile, in announcing his decision, also similarly touched on the need to listen and work for the grassroots.
"MCA needs to return to its original platform as champion of the rakyat and to strengthen the party and nation," said the health minister.
He added that he had been a party member for 29 years and firmly believed in championing the party's cause.
Both Liow and Kong were elected as vice-presidents in the last party polls.
The new party election is being held after Liow, Chua and 19 other central committee members resigned from their posts following months of leadership crisis in the party.
During the critical period, Liow had become Tee Keat's main rival in asking the president to step down. He was previously a close ally of the president.
This morning, Liow had with him Youth chief Wee Ka Siong, Wanita chief Chew Mei Fun, 15 central committee members and 20 division chairmen when he announced his decision at the MCA headquarters.
“I am ready to work together with the new MCA leadership to reinforce the party’s position so it can confidently face the next general election,” he said.
“I am a team player, I am someone who put party unity first, this is not my slogan, but my commitment to the party,” he added.
When asked about risking his ministerial post if he loses the elections, Liow said that matter had not crossed his mind and added that the party's future should come before self.
Wee: We need young leaders
Meanwhile Wee said he fully supported Liow's decision to contest for the deputy president's post to rejuvenate the party.
"I will give my full support to him (Liow). This is part of the party's rejuvenation and we need to see more young leaders come up.
"In fact, I would like to appeal to the delegates in this forthcoming elections to give more chances to the young, dynamic and capable candidates from among the CC or VP to get elected," he said.
In another development, Ka Ting said he does not belong to any team, faction or associated to any, in his efforts to contest the party president's post.
He reiterated that he would not form an alliance with anybody but welcomed anybody to support his efforts to unite the party.
"If there is anyone supporting me, or faction, that will be the overall MCA faction," he told reporters after meeting MCA delegates in Malacca today.
Embattled party chief Tee Keat meanwhile said his main thrust now was to tell delegates and non-delegates the real story of happenings leading to the scenario in the party now and how hidden forces or hidden hands had been involved.
So far, he said, he had just told the people the bare facts without making any inferences as his approach was a non-confrontational one.
Nominations for the election will be held tomorrow, from 1pm to 5pm, at Wisma MCA.
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