Moment of truth for MCA today

March 28, 2010, Sunday

KUALA LUMPUR: Once again, the moment has arrived for the MCA central delegates to elect a new batch of office-bearers in the party’s re-election today.

FROM LEFT: Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting

The fate of the contesting candidates lies in the hands of 2,378 delegates to determine the party’s moment of truth.

For the delegates, this is the third time they are voting since the party election on Oct 18 in 2008.

When they voted the second time on Oct 10, last year, the delegates made dramatic decisions on three resolutions which has led to today’s re-election which will see a record 101 candidates contesting.

This re-election is also a very crowded affair.

Except for the deputy president’s post, candidates will literally have to elbow one another to stand out and get elected in the very limited seats on offer.

The president’s post will see a three-corner fight among incumbent Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, his former deputy, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, and immediate past president Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting.

Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha and Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai are gunning for the number two post, while 10 candidates are vying for the limited four vice-president seats.

The remaining 86 have their sights on being Central Committee (CC) members.

With only a day to go, candidates are pulling all their resources, with their campaign machinery going on overdrive to fish as many votes as possible to enable them to cling to the much sought-after positions.

But their campaign trails appear to be marred by unfortunate incidents, including allegations of vote buying.

Personal attacks, at their most subtle, were also engaged, where some quarters had called on delegates not to elect certain candidates with tainted image or “recycled leaders”.

However, will the delegates be swayed by all these “propaganda” and manifestoes of candidates in their quest to save the party?

“Personally, I do not think so. They are smart. But then again, they already know who to vote, so it won’t be difficult even though the list may appear to be too crowded,” a delegate from Pagoh said.

He also felt that the crowded contest was a sign that democracy in the party was very well alive.

“And why not? Everyone who thinks he or she is capable, they deserve the right and the opportunity to serve the party,” he said.

But the situation may not be healthy as former party secretary-general Tan Sri Ting Chew Peh put it: “They are so many of them (contesting for CC), some of the names, unfortunately, I don’t even know who they are.”

Meanwhile on the ground, the preparations are almost 100 per cent done, according to secretary-general Datuk Wong Foon Meng.

He told Bernama that the election results would be known, latest by 7pm.

Will the delegates exercise their right wisely?

Or, will they pull another big surprise like they did in the Oct 10 extraordinary general meeting last year?

The answer lies in MCA’s ‘Clash of the Titans’ at Wisma MCA today. — Bernama

( sumber http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=19943)