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The myth of the indispensable hero Tee Keat

By Thomas Lee

The PKFZ issue has been branded about by certain people as the reason Ong Tee Keat should remain the MCA president and transport minister. These people seem to think that if Tee Keat is not holding these positions the probe into the multi-billion ringgit PKFZ scandal will grind to a stop.

Such thinking is simply simplistic and utterly uncanny, especially when many of those arguing in support of Tee Keat are supposed to be educated and intelligent people, some of them being leaders in political parties and non-governmental organisations.

Such people should know and understand that the PKFZ buck does not stop at the desk of Tee Keat but at the table of Umno boss and Prime Minister Najib Razak. The ultimate decision on what to do with PKFZ issue is not in the hand of Tee Keat but that of Najib. It doesn’t matter who the transport minister is as it is the prime minister who will finally call the shot and make the decision. The transport minister is merely his executive officer for carrying out his will and decision.

Another argument in support of Tee Keat is that he is supposedly one who could stand up to Umno and be able to make demands from the Umno-controlled government to serve the Chinese community which the MCA claims to represents in the government.

Such a fanciful fantasy is believed only by the gullible goons and macabre morons. Anyone with even some semblance of political insight and maturity will know and realise that almost all the concessions won for the people are the result of the massive inroads made by the opposition parties like the DAP. The overwhelming support the people gave to the opposition parties during the general elections has forced the Umno-controlled Barisan Nasional coalition federal government to concede to the demands of the people. It is not that Tee Keat and the MCA or, for that matter, Koh Tsu Koon and Gerakan or S. Samy Vellu and the MIC, that had been successfull in their bargaining for the concessions.

So the myth of the indispensable hero Tee Keat being the saviour of the MCA and the Chinese community is just that — a myth. And it is not a good and justifiable reason to insist on having him remaining at the helm despite losing a vote of no-confidence against him by the MCA grassroots leaders.

The contention that Tee Keat could only be removed as the party president by a two-third majority of the general assembly delegates is certainly legally valid, but morally void as he had, prior to the no-confidence vote, vowed that he would step down if he were to lose by a simple majority. The failure to honour his public pledge has resulted in him losing his credibility and integrity for which he would have a difficult time to redeem. No wonder he is reluctant to hold a fresh party election now as he will certainly be thrown out by the party delegates.

On the issue of a fresh party election, I believe that Tee Keat and many central committee members are not willing to take the risk and put their necks on chopping board. This is in view of the most likely scenario of many so-called written-off party leaders will take the opportunity to stage a comeback by contesting for the key positions. People like Ong Ka Chuan, Fong Chan Onn, Donald Lim, Tan Chai Hoe and even Ting Chew Peh are no political lightweights within the MCA, and a fresh party election in the midst of a choatic struggle will afford them the chance to be resurrected into the party leadership hierachy.

If a fresh party election is held, I expect the three possible presidential candidates of Tee Keat, Chua Soi Lek and Liow Tiong Lai to be overwhelmly thrown out by the delegates, for the simple reason that they are perceived to be an embarrassment and a liability to the party.

Tee Keat’s reneging on his pledge to quit if he lost the no-confidence vote has caused him to be a subject of ridicule, not only among the party members, but also among the Chinese community and within the Barisan Nasional. One of the fundamental principles of the Chinese ethos is the word of honour (“hou jee” in Cantonese), and anyone who does not honour his vow or pledge loses the respect and honour of the people. Hence, I doubt Tee Keat will be able to survive if a fresh party election is held.

As for Soi Lek, his soiled moral misadventure, although forgivable, is not easily forgotten. He may be an excellent grassroots leader, but his indiscretion may become a big liability to the MCA as he may be blackmailed into toeing the Umno line to accept and implement policies and programmes which may not be favourable to the party and the Chinese community.

Tiong Lai is perceived by many in the party and the community to be an impatient upstart who had betrayed his former boss Tee Keat to climb to the top of the party leadership hierarchy. The allegation of a gift of a luxury car to his wife by a private company purportedly awarded a contract by his ministry, although yet to be proven, has already taken a toll on his reputation. Obviously, his support in the party has eroded, and I doubt he will be able win in the party election.

I expect Fong Chan Onn or Ong Ka Chuan, or even Donald Lim to stake a claim on the MCA presidency, and one of them will like be elected to give the party a completely fresh start to reform, regenerate and rejuvenate itself.

Chan Onn, a former don with a Ph.D in economic who had served as a cabinet minister, has an almost impeccable credentials compared to many MCA leaders, and will stand a very good chance of getting elected if the delegates are non-partisan in their voting and want a renewed life for the party following the mess under the Tee Keat regime.

Ka Chuan is another presidential material but have the disadvantage of being former party president Ong Ka Ting’s brother. I said disadvantage because many party grassroots leaders have reservation on whether Ka Ting will be pulling the puppet strings if his brother is the MCA president. I believe Ka Chuan should consider being the running mate of Chan Onn. The duo can be a formidable force to provide the general assembly delegates with a viable alternative to Tee Keat, Soi Lek and Tiong Lai.

As it is, it seems unlikely that the required number of central committee members will resign to pave the way for a fresh party election. If that is the case, the ball should be thrown into the court of the general assembly delegates. The delegates should move a motion at the impending party general assembly to have the central committee dissolved for a fresh election to be held.

Quo vadis, MCA?

30 Replies to “The myth of the indispensable hero Tee Keat”

  4. Ka Chuan, another presidential material?

    My toes are laughing!

    After losing to Fong Poh Kuan in Batu Gaja, he got his brother to give him a safe seat in Tanjong Malim. What has he done for the Chinese Community except being a yes man to UMNO?

  7. To reward her for the Perak coup, Jelapang Hee might be appointed a senator and then take over OTK’s post of Transport Minister. This will motivate more PR elected reps in Selangor and Kedah to cross over

  8. Recently MBA student Ms Li Jun Jie from Beijing was locked up for 8 days by d Subang Jaya district police who tot that she was a prostitute
    http://www.kwongwah.com.my/news/2009/12/24/108.html
    http://www.kwongwah.com.my/news/2009/12/24/107.html
    http://www.kwongwah.com.my/news/2009/12/26/124.html
    http://www.kwongwah.com.my/news/2009/12/29/144.html
    Her writing now makes 1M’sia n d corrupt mata-mata infamous
    Did MCA do anything abt this?

  9. To protect the retired Prime Minister by giving him a legal immunity is an unwritten rule-of-thump which has been followed by the Umnoputras for the past 40 years. Even though Dr Mahathir claimed that he did not need protection from the Government, there is always an Umno political covenant between the retired politicians and the existing power-that-be that must be observed and followed. It is understandable that Najib will not agree to set up a RCI to probe into the allegation of Dr. Mahathir’s mal-practices in the past. Umno is an outdated organization which is too old and too senile to carry out a necessary reform. The only hope for political reform should be put on Pakatan Rakyat and not BN!

  14. Anybody can give it a good try to guess about the next action MCA leadership (if there is still a leadership in MCA now) will take in order to break the ice of communication that has been formed during the party feuds. However, in view of all MCA’s three factions’ pitifully lack of the two thrids majority control over the membership of the Central Committee, any attempt to make an improvement in the intra-party members’ relationship will likely turn out to be a useless vain effort. I don’t think either one of the three leaders in feud, namely Ong Tee Keat, Chua Soi Lek, and Liau Tiong Lai, will be able to come out with any good and workable ice-breaking idea. They are preoccupied only with the personal gains which they may stand to gain from the power struggle. The selfishness and greediness have caused the deterioration in the inter-personal relationship among the competing leaders. There is no immediate panacea that can really provide fast healing to MCA’s internal decadence! So, why should we be paying so much attention on whether Fong Chan Onn or Ong Ka Chuan will come out as the black horse in MCA presidency?

  16. “Such thinking is simply simplistic and utterly uncanny, especially when many of those arguing in support of Tee Keat are supposed to be educated and intelligent people, some of them being leaders in political parties and non-governmental organisations.”

    Education nowadays is like durian… one dollar per kilo. As for the word “intelligent”, I do agree that when it comes to their pockets, they are indeed very intelligent.

  17. Umno/Bn have been inflicted by an incurable deadly cancer (corruption) starting from the heart (UMNO) to every parts (component party) of the regime’s system (civil departments).No one,not even the CREATOR can help them now.The final death sentence is dated 13th GE.

  18. Some so-called “educated people” may think too highly of Tee Keat’s capability to rectify the iniquities which had been committed by the crooks in PKFZ scandal. However, time will prove that any MCA National President will just be a humble lapdog that is submissible to Umno. If Umno does not want any person who is vested with the power to investigate in PKFZ scandal to play the tune too loud and too harsh ear, sooner or later the person (even with some power on hand) will have to lower his tone a bit.

    If Tee Keat dares to show any single sign of insubordination to Najib, the next thing we are to see will be nothing less than Najib’s calling a cabinet reshuffle in order to get Tee Keat out of the post of Transport Minister. In view of MCA’s irrelevancy in Barisan Nasional’s so-called team leadership, what should we have to waste much time on talking about the party feuds of MCA? MCA does not worth our attention now. Just ignore MCA and make a good wish to long live DAP!

  19. For Jibby, MCA still possesses a little value because it has 15 MPs, compared to MIC’s 2, Gerakan’s 2 and PPP’s 0.

    However, MCA is now broken into at least 3 factions, and OTK cannot threaten to umno by taking MCA into Pakatan Rakyat. Of its 15 MPs, it is doubtful if OTK could call on the loyalty of not more than 5, including himself.

    After the next cabinet reshuffle, MCA will be further humiliated by umno when its number of Ministers and Deputy Ministers are drastically reduced in the light of its rapidly diminishing relevance in the eyes of the people.

    I believe not to far in the future, a person’s membership in the MCA would become a source of great ridicule and embarrassment to him.

  20. Here is the comment by a woman roadside hawker in her late 40s about the MCA: The Chinese in MCA are so disunited that the Malays begin to trample on them (i.e. Najib and Muhyiddin begin to interfere and control them).

    So MCA, please buck up! Don’t create a bad image of the Chinese community to the other races.

  23. Hi ekompute,you know why the chinese in MCA is so busy fighting among themselves that they forgot the real purpose of the party ? These guys are great pretenders and the fact is they are fighting only for their own pockets.

  24. I do not quiet agree with you Thomas. Credit must be given when it is due. Here I can say at least OTK had bell the cat and we heard the thunder and there is rain. At least this has put Najib in a dilemma and any apparent move to cut short OTK will definitely put a spanner in his NKRA. Maybe he has to tip toe a bit. Of course this will not hold water if not for the 08/03/08 Tsunami but apparently UMNO’s arrogance had come down a few notches. Do not forget the rakyat is following all his steps him closely.
    Conversely, on hindsight I do not think any MCA leaders will do likewise, some might have thunder but no rain and many will not have any thunder at all. Others who have self interests will definitely not like to see any thunder nor rain and instead will make every attempt to bury this bane. This will leave Najib in his happy hunting ground with no shadow to follow him and will stride and continue robbing the rakyat as though there is no tomorrow.

  25. “Here I can say at least OTK had bell the cat and we heard the thunder and there is rain. At least this has put Najib in a dilemma…” (pwcheng)

    pwcheng,
    A few gestures of cleanliness and corruption-hating are not the solution for anti-corruption. What the people would like to see is a total commitment from Najib to eradicate the corruption practice among the Government Officers and the politicians. Didn’t BN Executive take the late Eric Chia to court too for corruption charge? But did we see any conviction being done so far on Perwaja case? No.

    Therefore, we should not put in too much hope on Najib as Najib also has to carry the baggage of Umno’s corrupt tradition and cronyism. The true reform can only be sourced from an alternative Federal Government! Please consider putting in Pakatan Rakyat as the alternative Federal Government!

  27. Associated Chinese Chamber of Commerce Industry president Tan Sri William Cheng
    lashed out at Ong for doing nothing to help the community.

    Cheng made an unprecedented attack against Ong in an interview published by Sin Chew Daily, the country’s No. 1 Chinese-language daily. Cheng said that under Ong’s leadership, the MCA had “split” from the country’s major Chinese organisations and clan associations. He also criticised Ong for engaging in political infighting when the country was facing an economic crisis.

    I fully agree with Cheng’s view. The current MCA crisis had been sparked by Ong, who had tried to sack Dr Chua as MCA deputy president and member, so Ong must be responsible for his action.

  29. yhsiew said “William Cheng lashed out at OTK for doing nothing to help the comminity”.

    William Cheng should be more direct. He should have said OTK did not fight hard enough for William’s many business interests, unlike earlier MCA heads!

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