PETALING JAYA: MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek said whether MCA would plunge into infighting would very much depend on whether the senior leadership had the sincerity to integrate the party, accommodate the dissidents and try to strike an accord in the midst of differing voices.

If the leadership has not been sincere in integrating the party, talking loudly about unity but actually engaging themselves in splitting the party, then the party would be headed towards disintegration within the next three years, he added.

He said it was necessary for the party to bring about changes and true integration after the March general elections in order to compete with other parties such as DAP, PKR and PAS for public support.

He said MCA should first "fix up its own house" before it could compete with its rivals.

"From the past history we have seen that whenever the party is suffering from a split, the foremost and innocent victims would have always been MCA's elected representatives. I urge all the YBs not to forget this point."

Chua Soi Lek offered his opinions during an exclusive interview with Sin Chew Daily on whether party infighting has started, from the moment he was elected deputy president to the disclosure of the new central committee line-up.

He said, "I didn't say this is going to happen, but whether the party will eventually sink into the dilemma of infighting will depend very much on whether the leaders are sincere in running the party well and accommodating the dissidents."

On whether he felt that the new party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat had shown some sincerity in this respect, he said he needed a little more time before he could come up with any comment, as it was still premature now to make any conclusion.

However he believed the Chinese community, UMNO and BN all have very high expectations from MCA, and they have shown deep concerns about the developments following the MCA elections.

"They want to know whether MCA has learned the lesson, whether MCA still remains unchanged, or whether those leaders holding Cabinet posts are still concerned about party affairs and are sincere in putting the party into one piece again.

"If we're unable to meet their expectations and continue to stick to our old ways, then the Chinese community may not give their mandate or support to MCA in the next general elections, as they have other parties to choose from. MCA is not the only party representing the Chinese community."

What MCA really needs to change is to show some genuine sincerity in putting the party together and ensuring unity to forge ahead in unison instead of showing off the hypcritical "moves of integration."

When asked to comment on whether he was still confident of the cooperation with newly elected party president Ong Tee Keat, he said, "The cooperation needs the concerted effort of two persons. We cannot simply have 'one-sided love.'"

He said Tee Keat had so far not discussed or mentioned issues on the appointment of party or Cabinet posts with him.

"This (the appointment of party posts and recommendation of Cabinet posts) is the party president's right. He (Tee Keat) is 100% exercising his right, and has not discussed or mentioned it with me. My head was still blank when I attended the meeting on Tuesday."

No blind obedience

Soi Lek maintained that he knew how to play his role as the party's No. 2 man, but he would not follow blindly.

"He (Tee Keat) is the big boss, and I'm the second in command. It is his right to think that he doesn't need to discuss things with me, and I'm not going to take the initiative to ask anyway."

He said the No. 2 role includes "answering questions only if asked," but when it comes to the time for him to speak up, he said he would definitely do so.

Soi Lek said as he was the party's deputy president, he would try his best to fight for his place to perform his duties. However, if the party has not given him a chance, he still must apologise to the central delegates.

"I want to thank the party delegates for showing me their faith and mandate so that I could help rebuild the party. Nevertheless, if I'm not given the chance to serve the party, I should still apologise to all the central delegates because of the restricted space or platform for me to perform my duties. It's not because I don't want to perform, but I'm just not given the opportunity, even though I'm the deputy president."

On his appointment as the government policy monitoring bureau chief, he said he was already heading the bureau when he was the health minister.

"I need to find out what kind of role the party president wants me to play, or rather this is only an empty shell bureau without any real significance. Of course, If the party only wants me to talk about theories, I can do just that."

When asked about the comment that he has been seen by some as a menacing leader, he said, "Put it this way: some say only the capable should be watched out for."

"However, I always emphasise that I'm not an ambitious person. I'm that kind of people who can anytime quit all my party and government posts, even in front of the party president."

On whether it is within his expectations that he has not been appointed a state chairman in Ong Tee Keat's new leadership line-up, he said, "I have no idea at all, as we've never talked about this."

Soi Lek said party members and central delegates have the right to make any comment on the new line-up, and the appointments will reflect the party president's leadership skills, wisdom, agendas, as well as whether he is integrating the party or is consolidating only his own power.

"It doesn't need me alone to come up with the conclusion and my conclusion will not be important anyway. Most importantly, we must see what kind of conclusion the Chinese community and party members have come up with."

On whether the deputy presidency is a dispensable post, he said perhaps many people would think he wouldn't have too much opportunity to perform in the party, but he said it was up to the party members to make the judgement.

"I have faith in grassroots leaders, as they are not involved in any conflict of interests, or have any plans. They are only working towards the developments in their own localities as well as the party's future."

When asked to offer some advice to his supporters, Soi Lek urged grassroots leaders to continue to work hard, stay calm, be always loyal to the party and fight to get MCA candidates elected in constituencies where MCA was defeated in the last general elections.

He said he had always come under suppression throughout his political life, right since he was the branch and divisonal leader. However, he emphasised that the more he was suppressed, the more diligent he would become.

On what kind of attitude with which he would play his role as the party's No. 2 man, he said he had always been an optimistic person, and would continue to play his role as the party's deputy president with a proactive attitude.

Will he eventually quit all the party posts because of possible suppression from other party leaders?

"The more suppressed I am, the harder will I work. I have been very active in politics all these years because of suppression."

He lamented that an unhealthy culture did exist within the party in which a diligent and honest person would come under unnecessary attacks.

Besides, he said telling the truth might also not be a good thing in the party.

"Some say those in politics shouldn't be too frank. They must learn how to twist their words.

"I'm still talking right from my heart today, but will be a little more sensitive and choose to talk only when the time is right. I have to learn to be a little smarter, or more cunning..."

Soi Lek said since the end of Tuesday's central committe meeting, he and his secretary had received more than 300 phone calls and SMS messages.

He said these calls and messages expressed very different views.

"I accept their various suggestions, but think it's not right for me to openly share their views with other people."

He said many grassroots leaders from Johor might not be happy with the new line-up, as Johor is the only state with both a deputy president and a vice president.

On whether Johor would be marginalised, he said, "Johoreans are not marginalised, and are indeed very happy to have the president himself coming over to lead the state liaison committee."

When asked to comment on his chances of making a comeback to the Cabinet, he said he had never asked to be included or excluded from the Cabinet list, as he would go only step by step.

"But on this issue, many say UMNO would not accept me. All I can say is that I know whether the party would submit my name or they're just trying to misguide the public by using UMNO leaders as an excuse."

"If I've found out that my name has not been included and they make use of UMNO leaders as excuse, then the situation will be different. I can therefore prove that the leaders are lying.

"If the leaders can lie to their own party comrades, so can they lie to the Chinese community.

"If they would even misguide senior party leaders like us, there is no guarantee they wouldn't misguide the Chinese community."

He said he had the ways to find out whether he was not accepted by UMNO leaders or the prime minister, or his name was not at all included by the party.

He emphasised that it was very unfair to make UMNO leaders or any individual to bear the responsibility of a person's decision.

"If the MCA leader behaves this way, we can't blame the Chinese community for losing their faith in the party."

Soi Lek also reminded all central committee members not to underestimate the wisdom and political knowledge of central delegates.

He said if the party leadership would come up with decisions that are against the wills of grassroots leaders, then the central delegates could exert the party members' power to deny the leadership.

"In a democratic system, from nations to political parties, we've seen that the people's power can never be denied."

Soi Lek believes in the people's power, as his election as the deputy president offers an excellent instance.

When asked to comment on his election by party delegates as deputy president, but his party post today might not reflect the wills of grassroots leaders, he said the question should have been directed to the president instead.

"That is his power. He possibly has his own reasons or considerations, but he has said he wouldn't share it with the world." (By KOK SU CHIN/Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)

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