PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting never thinks he is a "Saviour," or that he could save MCA with his individual effort.

To him, the March 28 party elections could pose an even bigger challenge than the party elections in 2005.

In a recent statement, the ex-president said no leaders were indispensable or irreplaceable, as MCA was a common property of all party members.

"To save a party needs more than just an individual leader's effort. We need the coordination from leaders at various levels.

"I'm only trying to restore the party's stability with the experiences I gained in successfully integrating Teams A and B while leading the party for five and a half years."

He told Sin Chew Daily, MCA needs a leadership that has the right attitude, wisdom and tolerance level, and one that puts the interests of the party as well as the Chinese community above all else, adding that only such a leadership would be ale to mobilise majority of party members to bring MCA back to the right track again.

During the party elections in 2005, Ong Ka Ting defeated former vice president Chua Jui Meng by a majority of 1,515 votes in the presidency race, but without a government portfolio and not an incumbent today, will Ka Ting be put at a disadvantage for the race this time round?

Ka Ting is well aware that the battle ahead is not going to be easy, as he is stripped of the conveniences of party resources having relinquished his presidency one and a half years ago while his influences are slowly fading off.

"I'm contesting in the fresh elections with a huge responsibility and expectations from those within and without the party. I know the way forward is going to be very tough for me, and my action could well be a dangerous endeavour. Nevertheless, I cannot selfishly stay clear of the whole thing just to keep myself away from troubles."

"To some extent, I'm prepared to sacrifice myself to get into this highly complicated and variable world of politics once again. I'll persistently face whatsoever difficulties that come my way."

He admitted that the party has been a big disappointment over the past one year.

"People outside the party are shaking their heads, and many would rather skip the pages on MCA infighting on newspapers. They feel that MCA is truly annoying, disgusting, yet comical."

He said many party members already felt uneasy about the current situation, and that he could not remain silent again.

He said he had to take up the responsibility to work with a group of righteous members to rectify the many problems within the party and to restore its vitality and competitiveness.

"I'm running in the election not just for those having high expectations for me, but also for my own conscience.

"At least my conscience would be clear even though I lose."

Ka Ting said he had thought ripely when making the decision to relinquish his presidency back then, and has never during the past one a half years interfered in the party affairs, choosing instead to remain silent in the face of queries from the media or party leaders from various factions.

He said such a principle was firmly guarded by him until about a week ago.

Before deciding to run for the presidency again, Ka Ting said he had been struggling hard with his "non-interference" principle.

"Many advised me to run again. I told them I could not give in to my principle and rejected their requests.

"Over the past ten days or so, I've seen people from all quarters begging me to come out and lead MCA again. They were worried that the party's future would be doomed..."

He recalled the day before the decision was made when he went jogging at a nearby park in the morning.

Some fellow joggers told him, "Why are you still jogging here? You should do something now and fix up MCA, or the party will be in very bad shape!"

"Such voices have a major impact on me. I was thinking, with these people (grassroots representatives) urging and reminding me that there is a very huge responsibility upon me, do you think I can still choose to stay clear of the whole thing?"

When he was home that day, NTV7 reporter, who has been waiting outside his house, interviewed him. He said he had this obligation if what he did could help MCA.

Ka Ting said he had not made the decision yet at that moment, but deep inside him he felt the expectations from the people.

After thinking over this thing for one or two days, he came out with the decision to run for presidency.

"My conscience wouldn't be clear if I chose to stay away!"

A good friend of him told him, "As a friend, I would support your decision to carry on with your care-free lifestyle instead of taking up such a nasty task. But as a Chinese Malaysian, you should come out and save MCA."

Some people say if he loses in the coming elections, the defeat could deal a very serious blow on him. However, Ka Ting said he had already taken that into consideration.

"When the urge becomes stronger and expectations towards me higher, I cannot afford to stay out of it. If I did so, I would be seen as a selfish person who cares only about his own interests."

Whether he wins or loses the race, he said the most important thing is to have a clear conscience.

Ka Ting said if he won in the elections, his most important task would be to integrate all the opposing factions within the party.

Ka Ting said he heard a lot of "true voices" and saw the many weaknesses of MCA within the past one and a half years. Some outsiders have even voiced up to him unreservedly about how they feel about the party.

"Many people criticise MCA in front of me and I have received a lot of feedback and suggestions from them.

"These are voices that were kept away from me last time. If I have the opportunity to lead MCA again, I believe these would help tremendously."

On what he would do if he were elected the party president again, Ka Ting said he would choose capable people to help him integrate the party irrespective of their factional affiliations, like what was done in 2003.

"I'll allow healthy political culture to prevail within MCA, and study with my team to rectify the weaknesses within the party constitution in a bid to make MCA more democratic and transparent while limiting the excessively large power of the president."

"We must also rectify the unfair racist policies and fight for fairer participation of all ethnic groups in all aspects of social and economic developments irrespective of their skin colours." (By KOK SU CHIN /Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)