theSun | MONDAY OCTOBER 20 2008
news without borders
The real test for
Ong and Chua
MCA has officially entered the
Ong-Chua era and for the next
three years, the newly-elected
top two leaders face the real
test of working closely together
as they reinvent and rejuvenate
the party and regain the peo-
ple’s confidence in it.
In the just-concluded MCA
polls, Datuk Ong Tee Keat
garnered 1,429 votes to beat
Datuk Chua Jui Meng (917
votes) for the president’s post,
and Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek
narrowly won a four-cornered
fight for the No. 2 post by poll-
ing 1,115 votes.
Soi Lek beat former secre-
tary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka
Chuan, who obtained 1,001,
Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai
(209 votes) and Lee Hack Teik
(10 votes).
According to an analysis
by China Press yesterday, Soi
Lek, who started the race as
the underdog but emerged as
the favourite at the end of the
campaign, owed his victory to
his real political strength and
charisma.
There is no doubt about Soi
Lek’s ability, who presented
himself as a leader who can
speak up for MCA and the
Press Digest
by Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
people.
The former vice-president
and health minister had kept a
low profile during the campaign
but worked hard during his tour
of the country to canvass for
support.
The odds for him grew as the
polling day neared and it was
not surprising that he pipped
early favourite Ka Chuan at the
finishing line.
The fact that Tee Keat kept
stressing there was no “cai dan”
(list of candidates favoured
by the top party leadership)
indirectly helped Soi Lek as the
central delegates felt free to
vote according to their wishes.
Furthermore, Tee Keat had
also stopped his talk about
politicians’ moral conduct fol-
lowing Soi Lek’s announcement
to go for the No. 2 post. This and
the fact that Ka Chuan, being
a gentleman, did not make Soi
Lek run the gauntlet over the
moral conduct issue, and Soi
Lek’s sterling performance at
the vice-presidential debate,
had allowed the latter to turn
the tides against his closest
opponent.
Soi Lek had indeed put up
a splendid performance at the
11
debate, impressing both the
delegates and the public.
Moral conduct does matters,
but in politics the leadership
quality of a politician is even
more important.
This is why many central
delegates had set aside moral
considerations to give their
votes to Soi Lek.
With MCA elections over,
the focus now is on how Tee
Keat and Soi Lek walk the talk,
change and reinvent the party.
Both leaders dare to speak
without fear or favour and it will
indeed be a test for them to
work out their responsibilities
so that “the MCA wagon is not
pulled by two horses heading in
different directions”.
Despite an easy victory, Tee
Keat should also take stock
of the fact that a third of the
delegates are not happy with
him.
Speaking to the press after
the results were announced,
Tee Keat said he would “leave
the baggage behind” and go
full steam ahead to reinvent
the party.
He said the new team was
chosen by the delegates and he
will respect their wishes.