No Need For Mediator, Says Dr Chua

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said today there was no need for anyone to mediate in the "feud" between him and party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

Dr Chua said what was important was to close ranks and move forward.

"If we really want to work, no need for a third person to be a mediator. We are not small boys. We claim to be the second largest political party in the country and if (we) don't know how to work between two people and need a third person to intervene, then I think it is a sad day for MCA," he told a press conference at Wisma MCA here.

Dr Chua was asked to comment on news reports saying that MCA's new treasurer-general Senator Tan Sri Tee Hock Seng had volunteered to mediate in the feud.

Dr Chua said that in order to achieve real cooperation there must be sincerity.

"It cannot be just a political statement. And sincerity can be reflected by your action. And this cooperation is not a question of Tee Keat wins and Chua loses or Chua wins and Tee Keat loses.

"This cooperation is a question that if we do not cooperate the whole party loses," he said.

The perceived fued between the two leaders started after the appointments for key party posts were announced on Nov 11 following the party elections.

Dr Chua, a former Health Minister, was not appointed to key positions such as the state chairman or head of the party's disciplinary board.

Instead, he was appointed as the head of MCA's government policy monitoring bureau.

Ong, the Transport Minister, appointed himself as the Johor state liaison chief, a post previously held by Dr Chua.

-- BERNAMA

Tidak Perlu Orang Tengah, Kata Dr Chua

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 Nov (Bernama) -- Timbalan Presiden MCA Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek hari ini berkata tidak perlu ada individu menjadi orang tengah untuk menyelesaikan perseteruan antara beliau dengan Presiden parti Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

Dr Chua berkata apa yang penting adalah untuk merapatkan barisan dan bergerak ke hadapan.

"Jika kita benar-benar mahu bekerja, tidak perlu ada individu ketiga untuk menjadi perantara. Kami bukan anak-anak kecil lagi. Kita mendakwa sebagai parti politik yang kedua terbesar di negara dan jika (kami) tidak tahu bagaimana hendak bekerja dan memerlukan orang ketiga untuk campur tangan, maka ini merupakan suatu yang menyedihkan bagi MCA," katanya pada satu sidang akhbar di Wisma MCA hari ini.

Dr Chua berkata demikian sebagai mengulas mengenai kenyataan Bendahari Agung MCA yang baru Senator Tan Sri Tee Hock Seng yang menawarkan diri menjadi perantara bagi menyelesaikan perbalahan antara kedua-dua pemimpin berkenaan.

Timbalan Presiden MCA itu berkata untuk mereka bekerjasama, mestilah wujud keikhlasan.

"Ia tidak boleh hanya menjadi kenyataan politik. Keikhlasan mesti kelihatan dalam tindakan. Kerjasama ini bukannya satu persoalan bahawa Tee Keat menang dan Chua kalah atau Chua menang dan Tee Keat kalah.

"Kerjasama ini akan menjadi persoalan jika kami tidak bekerjasama, seluruh parti ini kalah," katanya.

Perbalahan antara kedua-dua pemimpin itu dilihat bermula sejak pelantikan pemegang-pemegang jawatan parti yang diumumkan pada 11 Nov berikutan pemilihan parti.

Dr Chua, yang juga bekas menteri kesihatan, tidak dilantik memegang jawatan utama seperti pengerusi negeri atau mengetuai lembaga disiplin parti.

Sebaliknya, beliau dilantik sebagai Pengerusi Biro Pemantau Dasar Kerajaan. Teek Keat, yang merupakan Menteri Pengangkutan, melantik dirinya sebagai Pengerusi MCA Johor, jawatan yang sebelum ini pernah dipegang Dr Chua.

-- BERNAMA

MCA LEADERS: Yes, Dr Chua is forgiven but let's get real

By : LT COL (R) MOHD IDRIS HASSAN, Kuala Lumpur

I REFER to the letter from Bulbir Singh of Seremban on the purportedly unfair treatment dished out to Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek by Malaysian Chinese Association president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat ("A time to be forgiving" -- NST, Nov 19).

I wish to point out a contradiction in Bulbir's argument.

First, he concedes that "what the MCA president has done is his business and prerogative as party chief". Then he goes on to say the party president should be forgiving, implying that Dr Chua be given a meatier role in the MCA.

An extension of his argument is that since MCA members have by and large forgiven Dr Chua by electing him to the No. 2 post, all should be forgiven and he should be given a clean slate to start anew.

The MCA today is at one of its lowest ebbs since its formation and it is going to be a Herculean task for Ong to assemble a formidable team to lift it out of the doldrums. Having a deputy with a tainted past is certainly not going to help.
One has to remember that the MCA is a component party of the Barisan Nasional. Whatever it says and does will have a bearing at national level.

Is the BN, or in particular the prime minister, prepared to have a minister who is morally tainted to be in his cabinet? In the most unlikely circumstances, if the answer is "yes", he will constantly be the butt of jokes, rendering him ineffective and an embarrassment to his party.

To the writer's question: "Is there no word like forgiveness in our dictionary?"

Of course there is, but the reality on the ground has to take priority over everything else.