KUALA LUMPUR: Newly-elected MCA president Datuk Ong Tee Keat may have accomplished his ultimate goal to become the number one man in the party but it will be another uphill battle for him to prove his leadership quality.

Throughout his political career, this vocal and bold politician had had to face numerous tough obstacles.

Some party members believe that it would be smooth sailing for Tee Keat once he had reached the top of his political ladder as the party president but the party election results on Saturday proved otherwise.

With the unexpected election of former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek as the deputy president, the challenges ahead will be even tougher in his pursuit to consolidate the members to work as a team and strengthen the party.

"This will be the greatest test in his political career," said a grassroot leader from the Pandan division.

Newly-elected MCA vice-president and Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said the challanges that Tee Keat had to face in MCA had always been tough and seemingly endless.

The first acid test for Tee Keat is the appointment of six key office bearers in the party central leadership, namely the secretary-general, treasurer-general, organising secretary and their deputies.

Party insiders said these appointments, if not handled carefully, could become a political flash point for Tee Keat.

"There is already some pressure that Dr Chua's supporters be appointed to hold these positions, but what Ong really needs now is his fully trusted supporters to hold the posts to strengthen his position.

"Otherwise, the president's position will be shaky," said a division leader who declined to be named.

"Tee Keat has to be very careful in his choice. With the composition in the CC (central committee), where nine out of the 25 members are Dr Chua's supporters, he has to appoint his most trusted and most loyal people for these positions," he said.

He said Dr Chua was known to be a strong leader "who wants to have his own way" andwould be tough for Tee Keat to handle if he did not have a strong team to back him up.

Another acid test awaiting Tee Keat is the appointment to the government posts following the defeat of one MCA minister and two deputy ministers in the party polls.

They are former MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan who is the Housing and Local Government Minister, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung and Deputy Unity, Heritage, Culture and Arts Minister Teng Boon Soon.

Ka Chuan failed in his bid for the deputy presidency, Chor for the vice-presidency and Teng, for a seat on the Central Committee.

Traditionally, the MCA deputy president is bestowed a full ministerial post and speculation is already rife that Dr Chua would return to the cabinet soon after being appointed a senator as he did not contest in the March general election.

After the general election, the MCA was given four full ministerial positions which are currently held by Ka Chuan, Liow, vice-president Ng Yen Yen (Women and Family and Community Development) and Tee Keat (Transport).

The changes are likely to happen only after all the Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties have completed their respective elections and after the UMNO elections in March next year, but speculations are already rife that Dr Chua is set to return to the cabinet.

However, Dr Chua played down the speculations saying that it was Tee Keat's prerogative to nominate anyone for the cabinet position.

Political analysts feel that although it is the prerogative of the president to recommend the changes to the prime minister, the extreme burden is already piling up on Tee Keat as there is talk that should Dr Chua be nominated for a ministerial position, Ka Chuan's supporters might rebel against Tee Keat.

If Tee Keat maintains Ka Chuan, there will be unhappiness among Dr Chua's supporters as well as his own supporters and this may jeopardise his own grassroot support.

Even if he manages to get past these hurdles, bigger tests await Tee Keat, as pointed out by MCA veteran Datuk Wong Mook Leong, in the form of finding ways to strengthen the party with focus on social matters, education and politics.

"It's not enough just to speak. At the end of day, you must deliver. You must fulfil the legitimate demand of the people. Shouting alone is not enough.

"The needs of the people must be addressed while at the same time regard must be given to the sensitivity of Malaysians as a whole, in terms of religion, tradition and customs," Wong said.

Despite all this, one thing for sure. Tee Keat still has the backing of his former political mentor, Tan Sri Lee Kim Sai, who is confident that his former protege will able to pass the acid tests.

"It is a question of how you gear your supporters while being able to convince those not supporting you to work together with you. If you are able to do that, it would not be much of a problem," he said.

Citing the example of former MCA president Tan Sri Lee San Choon, Kim Sai, who is a former MCA deputy president and former health Mmnister, said that San Choon had managed to get his political opponent to sit down and talk out the differences.

"Actually for me, it is not so much how he handles the internal issues. I'm more concerned with how the new president can make the party an effective Barisan Nasional component member," he added. (Bernama)