When MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat is unwilling to accept the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) results and insists to convene another EGM, former Deputy President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has filed an application with the office of the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to be reinstated as deputy president of MCA.

To put it bluntly, both of them, who claim themselves as rightful leaders, have refused to step down.

It shows us how horrible the temptation of power can be!

The MCA crisis has evolved into a farce of a dispute caused by personal feelings. There is no concept and moral insistence, but only distorted morality, degenerate democracy, confused standards, lost directions and the so-called comrade love that has suddenly changed. The people are frightened by the fact that humans are more easily change for power compared to ideals. And the value of integrity in politics is actually so weak!

As the crisis goes on, the direction becomes vaguer and the outcome is more inconceivable. It may end up having a double deputy presidents, bringing the dispute to court or having a dramatic reconciliation. The MCA crisis has departed from the normal path and it is full of unpredictable variables.

What we can see now is the desolation after the fierce fight. There is neither loser nor winner. But they still insist on continuing the fight. They will never balk at the lose-lose situation, or even a destruction of all.

Instead of becoming mature, the half-a-century-old political party is sinking in the zero-sum power struggles. It is a sadness for MCA.

In fact, it has become a blind crisis. Central delegates are either supporting one of the confronting factions or hiding in the third force. They have lost the ability to doubt and criticise in mutual allegations while the grass-roots can only watch with anxiety.

If such a struggle continues, MCA will sure meet with adversities in the future.

The influence of MCA has been steadily declining since the 8 March general elections. Based on the common sense and rational analyses, today's MCA can only win at most 15% to 20% Chinese votes. Does the party really think that it can still represent Malaysian Chinese?

If the Chinese community no longer agrees with it and even UMNO has no faith in it,is it possible that MCA gentlemen, who are still high in the cloud, are not clear about the current situation?

Of course, such a prediction may be too pessimistic. But how can MCA convince others that it can still come out with a bright tomorrow?

In the never-ending party crisis, how many MCA leaders actually do serious think about: What do Chinese want? What kind of MCA they are asking for? Perhaps, in order to catch up with UMNO's pace to become a political party for all, they should ask themselves from a higher position: What do Malaysians want? What kind of political party they are asking for?

If the party leaders are unable to learn from their mistakes, who else can save MCA? (By LIM MUN FAH/Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/Sin Chew Daily)