Challenges for Dr Chua Soi Lek - Lim Sue Goan

themalaysianinsider


APRIL 13 — MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek is a strong man in MCA, but there are differences between getting along with the grassroots and leading a party representing Malaysian Chinese.

There are only thousands of grassroot members but he has to face over a million of people from Umno, the Chinese community and voters of various races.

Whether he can lead MCA to revive and win the respect of BN, it all depends on the next general elections.

Dr Chua has been actively dealing with the party’s affairs and Chinese community issues since the fresh polls on 28 March. He also went campaigning in Hulu Selangor. However, he was hit by two incidents, namely the resignation of Wanita MCA Chief Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun and the refusal of Chinese organisations to attend the MCA Presidential Council meeting.

The resignation of Chew and the announcement of Gurun state assemblyman Datuk Dr Leong Yong Kong to take a year’s leave from party affairs are the first wave of protest within the party. If Dr Chua is unable to integrate the party in a short time, the voices of discontentment within the party will become louder and louder. He received, after all, only 39 per cent of votes in the fresh polls.

However, with Dr Chua’s strategies and means, the discontentment within the party is not a problem as he has the ability to solve it. The most severe challenge comes from external parties.

MCA has wasted more than a year in its party crisis. Therefore, time is running out for Dr Chua to get prepared for the next general elections. He must race against time to perform and change the party’s and his negative images.

The first challenge is the Hulu Selangor by-election, followed by the second phase of the New Economic Model (NEM) scheduled to be announced in June and the 10th Malaysian Plan. If he fails to retrieve Chinese votes in the by-election, it will be a blow to his leadership prestige. If the NEM does not release more space for small and medium enterprises, Dr Chua will have to face a lot of pressure.

MCA’s political opponent is now stronger than before. DAP is currently controlling state power and it is backed by Pakatan Rakyat. DAP is now equally matched with MCA in terms of political resources and talents.

Therefore, Dr Chua is anxious. He invited main Chinese organisations to attend the Presidential Council meeting, hoping to repair the crack with Chinese organisations formed during the party crisis, as well as to expand the influence of MCA. However, he has neglected the “sabotage” of DAP.

As for the issue of the relocation and new locations for Chinese primary school, he has got entangled with the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor government. If MCA fails to complete the promise made during the March 8 general elections last year before the next general elections, it will then turn into a political burden.

However, the sign of improvement in the political environment under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak favours Dr Chua. The liberal image and high efficiency of Najib is able to retrieve the people’s support.

Umno is the main factor of MCA’s great defeat in the 8 March general elections. If Najib is able to suppress the conservative right-wing forces and voices within the party and create a more harmonious political atmosphere, then Dr Chua will be more than equal to the challenges.

However, MCA must first solve the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal, mysterious death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock and Chinese schools issues before the next general elections.

In order to perform better than the former president, Dr Chua can no longer use de-politicisation strategies. Instead, he should be courageously fight politics. The more he can get from Umno, the more he can increase his own political chips.

It is unfair to judge Dr Chua now and it is still too early to do so. But there is no honeymoon period for him and the inescapable truth is to perform well. — mysinchew

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.