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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Q&A: We shall prevail, says Chua

Adapted from Malaysiakini, 14.09.09

By Yong Kai Ping and Andrew Ong

Chua Soi Lek is not only confident his supporters have enough endorsements to requisition for an EGM, but he is also confident that their resolutions will be passed.

Among the reasons was that the party grassroots were disenchanted with president Ong Tee Keat's lack of direction which was apparent when the party failed to help BN garner Chinese votes in the past eight by-elections.

Below is an excerpt of Chua's interview with Malaysiakini that took place last Friday:



Do you have the numbers?

I've already challenged people who think that I do not have the number of 1,200 to please come with me to the temple. No one has taken up the challenge. I won't say it is my problem. Tan Chai Ho is a very devout Buddhist. Everyone knows. He believes that a certain day, time and date will be the winning combination.

I don't know how he came to the date... he thinks he can choose a date and time, with the number of delegates to submit. Because he is the chief coordinator, I cannot impose (my views) on him. That is my style.



But time is not on your side...

We have the confidence and the political maturity of the delegates. Not to sign is easy. Signing is a difficult choice. We'll expose them. Their names are submitted and this will be scrutinised with a fine-toothed comb. They will face a lot of harassment.


What about claims that your supporters are harassing delegates, including offering money inducements?

That is nonsense. That is how Ong Tee Keat loses support. These kind of statements, (claiming) that we give money, is insulting the delegates. Where do we find so much money? In my group, not one has government post.

Malaysian politics is such that if you have no government post, no one is going to give you money. Simple. I've gone through this process in my political career.


The aura of a government post is such that people think you are very influential and can grant projects and help people.

When you have no government job, you have nothing to offer.

The central delegates want to see democracy in the party.

They want to see fair play and justice, that the deputy president that is elected by central delegates should not be sacked at his (Ong's) whims and fancy.



Are we looking at two EGMs?

I don't know. Our EGM resolution is known to the other side. They are pretending that they don't know. The whole country is signing. Don't tell me they don't know. To say that they don't know is again the 'father of all lies'.


When Tan Chai Ho went to see the secretary-general to show our resolutions, we wanted to see their so it can be merged. He said there was none. Until now there are a lot of presidential council members who have yet to the resolutions.



Let's go into how you are being attacked. One accusation is that you are an Umno stooge.

He has created a lot of nonsense. The grandfather of all nonsense is that I'm trying to have a new party as a 'Plan B'. I have no 'Plan B'. We are confident the central delegates of MCA will ensure that the EGM and resolutions we proposed would be passed. There is no such thing as 'Plan B'.



He would also always try to tie me with Tiong (King Sing). I have nothing to do with Tiong. This is the greatest nonsense of all nonsense. That's why I call it the grandfather of all nonsense created by Ong Tee Keat.



If you look at Ong's political career, it is built on his eloquence at smearing his opponents. If you check his track record, he has done nothing. Nothing to show even as a president. The only thing he has achieved is to sack me.

Then he said I took RM100 million from Tiong. If I had RM100 million, I would tell Ong, "Please... I don't want to get involved. That presidency is not worth RM100 million". Okay? I never had any intention to be party president.

Back then, I even harboured the thought that he is the most suitable person to be the president. One year later, I have doubts. I'm very sure that he has done nothing for MCA. He has created animosity within the party. He has created division within the party. He has not provided any direction for the party. He has never given hope to the party.



Today, he is surrounded by a lot of appointed members. The other thing that he created is the new party. Earlier, he was talking about gangsters. He says I'm involved in gangsterism. You ask MCA delegates and they will tell you about Ong Tee Keat's background. I don't like to talk about people's past.

So this has not gone down well. I don't have so much money. They say I have taken money. But where are the people who are complaining? Please come forward. I'm sure if there is any complaint, the disciplinary board will happy to look into it.



Then he says I'm the stooge of Umno. The Prime Minister wants to see a strong and united MCA. Don't create such nonsense. A weak and divided MCA is of no use to Barisan Nasional.

A weak MCA is of no use to Umno, because we cannot deliver the votes. The eight by-elections we have gone through is very clear. The Chinese are not supporting BN because of MCA. So don't blame a weak MCA on Chua Soi Lek. because you are the president.



Do you agree with the perception that Ong does not enjoy support from Umno, but you are seen to be close to Najib?

I think people are entitled to personal relationship. For that matter, Ong Tee Keat is not close to anybody. This is not a personal attack. Ask anyone on the street or within the party. Don't ask the appointed members. To me, the root of the problem is that there are too many appointed members who are new and young.



What do you think of the controversies surrounding Ong - that he has allegedly taken money and received free flights courtesy of Tiong?

Ong Tee Keat says I have a tainted background. He tells people I have a tainted image and am a recycled product. He is (thus) whiter than white. He has forgotten that he is the only MCA minister ever hauled up by MACC (for abuse of privileges). He is the only MCA minister who had to go to the police station (to have his statements recorded).

These are things he has to explain. Why is he not taking up the challenge to debate with Tiong? I mean, no one can compare with Tee Keat's command of language. Why is he not producing his wife's account? Why is he not going to the temple to cut the cockerel's head? He is not taking up all these challenges?



About the new party...?

This is the grandfather of all nonsense. I have no idea who the hell is behind this party. Don't use your eloquence to smear people.



What kind of accusations do you think will be levelled against you after this?

Well, he has been consistently attacking me, claiming that I want to destroy the party and that I'm a puppet of Umno to destroy MCA. This is nonsense. Then he claims I'm collaborating with gangsters.

When he went down to Johor, there were MCA division leaders waiting to receive him. He didn't bother with them and told the Chinese press that he was surrounded by gangsters brought in by me. I'm sure you saw in the Chinese press that they (alleged gangsters) brought their MCA membership cards.


Then he says I received RM100 million from Tiong. There is no reason for Tiong to support me. Everybody knows that whoever is the Transport Minister will continue to investigate PKFZ because that is a cabinet decision. Tee Keat presents himself as if he is going on a crusade, forgetting that he himself is tainted.

Now, he is trying to show that he is whiter than white. The Cabinet now says that it is now just a question of corruption and abuse of power. A bigger issue is involved - how to rehabilitate the project and move forward. It is up to the government, with its high-powered task force, to clean up (PKFZ).



If your faction gets its way in the EGM and Ong is toppled, and a new minister is then in charge of the Transport Ministry, would you continue the PKFZ probe?

It is a Cabinet decision. I was a Cabinet member before. Najib knows the rakyat is watching. If the task force doesn't succeed, the government will fall. I know when Najib says something, he will do it.



Some say the 'super' task force was to take away Ong's powers into the probe

That is because he politicised the issue. He turned a ministry function into a political problem. He is creating an image where only he is doing the job and everyone else is not interested. This is creating individual heroism and sacrificing the bigger picture. The bigger picture is BN and MCA. To him that is not important. He has no performance to show off. So he has to use this (PKFZ).


I've said it long before - don't politicise ministry work, don't bring ministry work into your party, because that is self defeating for the Chinese and MCA members. Umno has more ministers than MCA. Imagine if they politicised their ministry work and bring it into Umno and pass an Umno EGM and tell the Chinese community, "this is not what I want to do, but this is what my party wants me to do."



What do you feel is the central reason for the fight between you and Ong?

Firstly, he has failed to provide leadership. There is no direction in MCA. One year after he took over the helm, what has MCA achieved? Nothing! Important issues are hardly discussed. He hardly calls for meetings.

Since the party elections until now, there has only been six presidential council meetings when it should be a weekly affair. Since two of these are emergency meetings, that leaves us with only four - including one to sack me and one to appoint senators.

15 comments:

talkosong said...

Dr, When ong wins the presidency, he have one thing in his mind and that is to enrich himself as soon as possible becos he knows very well he will follow all those past president who have exited in disgrace. So to enrich in the fastest way is to be a dictator of MCA . But he have one obstacle and that is you. With you as his deputy and a thorn in his ass, he he lost much time , just to get you off his back cost him almost a year.Now he is in such a rush to rid you that he got himself entangle in this Tiong's shit.

The Medium in the temple at Pudu have already predicted not once but a few times that ong will be defeated this time and he will leave behind a mountain of shit that any MCA successor will find the smell unbearable.I think ong will be the remember as the last president who will take MCA to his grave.

Dr, Many have said it's time you bow out and take your fight to PR. If you win the presidency of MCA, you will inherit a party that's not only full of shit, but a party that have lost the confidences of all the chinese.This tainted name of MCA will never be associated with the chinese again.

Come clean and start a new life with PR. You will sure find that you are most welcome and moreover PR will be most happy to have 2 Chuas who will be of great help to PR win in the 13th GE.

God keep on blessing you.

Beat the iron when it's hot!

Dr.Alvin Lee Chow Hui said...

hi datuk,
keep up good work! Truth will prevail on those issues.

sincerely,
Alvin Lee
www.alvinleechowhui.com

Fernando said...

To me, you are just a desperate old man, nothing more, nothing less.

dotcom said...

Dato Seri Chua,

Wish u all the very Best in the EGM!
Cheers,

God Bless U.

C Del.

ctyap said...

C.T.Yap said.....
MCA had shown many past president sidelne their deputy.
Dr, You are the only deputy to fight with diginity.
You can cont on Chinese voters, they will give MCA new hope with new fresh faces.
Let the young, grom them but dun let those who are warming seats to waste our chinese aspirations.
Well Done.

Vince said...

Dr Chua,

Just remember that you can write all you want. Ong can say all he wants. But in the end, the report cards on the surface of Malaysia is what the Rakyat will be looking at.... Until now, we don't really see anything worth mentioning.

kimlai62 said...

It seems that ALL leader make the same mistake when they reach to the top ie; To get rid of their opponents. Hope the next MCA President (if happen to be) will really work ALL his/her heart out for the party... Lets not let history repeats itself, but use history to guide us not to make the same mistakes

Desmond Chan said...

MCA condition with navigated with Ong Tee Kiat and his colony now going to sunset where there are no objectives and any program to rebuild Chinese community trust to MCA. Why don't MCA and the power group now ask what is the Chinese Community Needs? I can say Chinese Community now need a Leader who really can fight for Chinese rights and not focus on accusing the others members. I did not see any improvement since the last election and what is happen the ego of the current President which could be a shameful to all the Chinese Comummunity. I would like to ask Ong, do MCA represent Chinese Community in Malaysia with your leadership now? Ask yourself before you accuse the fellow MCA members. Remember... MCA does not belong to you.

xiao jian said...

Chua, your comment on malaysiakini all nonsense and foolish. Do you think Malaysia chinese can easily believe those selfish talk?

Unknown said...

When a new CEO took over a company, the smart thing to do is to let the system and operations work first at least for a year or two. Then only slowly change and restrategise.

OTK did just the opposite. He think all the former people are all not good and therefore he appoint a totally new team. All the things doen in the past is wrong so he go around digging all the past jobs.

But what is going to happen while he goes digging? How is the people to cari makan? You can dig for all you want, but my baby is having problem getting his milk money today.

Tomorrow, OTK may be right but my baby already died. What's the point?

That's the difference between a righteous leader and a general.
A righteous leader fight for his beliefs but a General right for everybody whether it is wrong or right, it does not matter so long as there's balance in life and everyone gets to feed his family.

Suci Dalam Debu said...

Dr,

So they think that my revoking your sacking and replacing it with a 4 year suspension, the delegates for the upcoming EGM will be pacified.

The latest decision shows that OTK is pissing in his pants and could clearly see the ropes that he had set up to hang you but instead found his neck in it.

Whatever it is, I hope the EGM will kick him out; such a useless, spineless flip-flop hyprocrite.

Now I believe the delegates will have even less respect for him.

GTLim said...

Dear Dr. Chua,

OTK is making the road to the EGM more difficult, winding and complicating. It is going to confuse alot of people attending the EGM.
In the end, MCA will be totally wreaked and irreparable. Who will stand to gain from all this infighting? THE OPPOSITION PARTY OF COURSE!

Unknown said...

An organization of hopelessness such as MCA, can it be strong enough to stand up again?
Internal disputations and differences of sacking chua had made its reversal. Suspended Chua as member of MCA for 4 year instead of sacking him. This has made no different to Chua. But it can reflect its flippancy that MCA is immorally taking the convenience to slap its own face to make the change of decision by CC before MCA GEM taking place on 10-10-09.
It means this ethnic based organization is occupied by a bunch of nincompoop doing nothing good for Chinese any longer in future. People of Chinese must discard this useless political party. It is struggling for themselves only.

Kg Folk said...

Datuk Dr. Chua,

MCA cannot be commented? Sigh!!!

昨夜, 我等赞扬两位前马华領袖的英文文稿放在我的部落还不到十分钟, 就有人向我等呛声。这代表了什么? 我等认为有必要公开讨论, 以惯策尊敬的首相所要求的透明方式作业。

我等见识浅薄之人、深感疑惑, 觉得有些不对之处。
1. 是不是有人二十四小时在互联网络关注有关马华的评论?
2. 为什么我等赞扬现領袖可以, 赞扬前領袖即刻引起呛声?
3. 为什么某些马华領袖不能有海纳百川的胸襟?
...

我等认为马华不是某些領袖的私人产业。由独立前到现在, 有谁胆敢否定马华跟国家政治及经济的关系? 又有谁胆敢切断马华跟马来西亚各民族的联系?
由此可见, 马华如果有做错, 马来西亚各民族都可给予谴责 ; 马华如果做对, 各民族都会不吝给予赞扬!!!
...

Rita said...

Dream on CTYap. You can forget about my vote and the votes of the majority of the chinese community. Wake up and open your eyes! See who is the traitor in the party

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