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MCA Public Service and Complaints Department's head of legal affairs Datuk Theng Book has been busy of late, spearheading the 'Save MCA' movement. He sat down with DAVID YEOW to expound on the campaign's premise, his plans and why the campaign, despite being called 'Topple the Ong Brothers' in Mandarin, is not a personal attack against party president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting. NEW STRAITS TIMES
Q: Can you explain what the "Save MCA" campaign and roadshow is all about? A: We are a nationwide grassroots movement calling for the "Ong brothers" (party president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting and secretary-general Datuk Ong Ka Chuan) to give way to a new leadership.
It was the result of dissatisfaction with MCA's performance at the recent general election.
This is the first time grassroots in the party are calling for a change. Instead of just waiting for the "top" to change, we are starting from the "bottom". MCA's fault lies with the leadership, in particular Ka Ting.
He treated the general election like a party election, he adopted a strategy to just strengthen his position in the party. He must go.
Q: Can you describe what goes on in a typical "Save MCA" event?
A: It is mostly private meetings only for members. For example, campaign events in Selangor take place daily in short table meetings, while in Ipoh, it's private dinner functions.
Q: And all of you have come to the same conclusion, that Ka Ting must go?
A: Yes. So far, we have met with nothing but support from the grassroots. No one said to us that we have overstepped our boundaries or our views are too extreme.
Q: How big is your movement now?
A: We have hundreds of supporters. But there are many more who are supporting us silently, including top party leaders.
Q: What do you feel about Ka Ting's statement that there is no such thing as the "Save MCA" movement and only a minority of members think the party needs saving?
A: It doesn't matter that he calls us small. Even a fire that burns down big houses starts with a match and spark. So let him underestimate us.
Q: Why is Ka Ting not a good MCA president?
A: You can judge this for yourself. After MCA's worst election results in history, not only has Ka Ting refused to step down, he is consolidating his position by appointing himself as the Johor state chairman.
Furthermore, he is trying to build an "Ong dynasty" by appointing his brother Ka Chuan as secretary-general although the latter did not stand in the 2004 party elections.
OK, let's give the brothers the benefit of the doubt. But look again at the 2004 general election. Ka Chuan failed to win the Batu Gajah parliamentary seat, but still he was appointed MCA Perak chief. During the recent election, Ka Ting gave Ka Chuan a safe seat in Tanjung Malim.
Also, when Ka Ting refused to become a cabinet minister, who did he choose to take on his former portfolio of housing and local government minister? His brother!
Additionally, he breached Article 120 of the party constitution, which states that only those with a membership of a minimum three years can be eligible to contest in the general election.
Among the fresh faces who contested were Victor Gu, a seven-month-old member who vied for the Damansara Utama state seat, Dr Hou Kok Chung (joined MCA a year ago and won the Kluang parliamentary seat) and Chua Tee Yong (son of former health minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek, who joined MCA four months ago and won the Labis parliamentary seat).
Q: Why is Ka Chuan being targeted by your movement as well? It seems his only fault is being related to Ka Ting.
A: Having Ka Chuan around is the same as having Ka Ting in power. The two are connected. Everything Ka Ting does now is for his brother. Ka Ting will not stop until his brother is made president.
Q: Why demand only for the Ong brothers to go? Why not other leaders who remained silent when the president decided on his election strategy ?
A: You cannot change the whole party line-up. You see when a company is not doing well, you cannot ask all the staff to go. It is the decision maker who must be held responsible, it is he who must go.
Q: So you believe when Ka Ting and Ka Chuan step down, all of MCA's problems will be solved?
A: Yes, their departure will create new hope within the party that will allow new leaders to be elected, people who can reform it properly. I foresee that if the Ong brothers continue to remain in power, many people, as close to 30 per cent of 1.3 million members, will leave the party.
Q: But what about the 2004 general election? Ka Ting led MCA to its best result in years.
A: The 2004 general election result was not Ka Ting's doing. He had only led the party for a year then, the true credit should be given to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Q: What about the fact that under Ka Ting, MCA still fared better than MIC and Gerakan at the recent election, possibly second best after Umno.
A: I have no comment on MIC and Gerakan. But if you study his strategy in Selangor you would find that it was flawed. If he had chosen suitable people to defend the seats instead of just putting new people as candidates, Barisan Nasional today would still be in control of that state.
Q: Are you leading the "Save MCA" movement under the directive of higher ranking leaders for whom it is not, at present, convenient to lash out openly at Ka Ting?
A: I joined the party in the early 1980s. I was a CEO before, why should I be an agent for anyone? I am doing this out of love for my party.
Q: So this campaign is not a continuation of the "Team A" and "Team B" war?
A: No. There is no longer a Team A or Team B in MCA. All that left when (former president) Tun Ling Liong Sik and (former deputy president) Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek left the party leadership. This is a grassroots movement.
Q: MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai has said that you are leading the "Save MCA" movement out of bitterness, because you were not picked as a candidate for the recent election. What is your response?
A: I have to rebut this accusation. I have been a member of MCA for more than 20 years and if I am acting out of bitterness and resentfulness, I would not wait until today.
Q: The "Save MCA" movement and the alleged "Three-man political spy" team under the leadership of Ka Ting are commonly mentioned in the same breath. What do you think of the latter?
A: We did not say Ka Ting was behind the three-men spy team. However, there is such a team co-ordinating a network of spies to take out potential rivals to the president.
Q: What would you do if the "Save MCA" movement fails and Ka Ting remains as president for another term?
A: I will leave the party and many will also do the same as a vote of no-confidence. Don't get me wrong, I love the party but if Ka Ting is still in power after party elections, the party will become irrelevant.
Q: But if you truly love the party, should you not also love the leader?
A: We don't love this leader (Ka Ting) because he doesn't love the party. He is running it like "Ong Sdn Bhd".
Q: Have you received any letters from the MCA disciplinary board ordering you to stop leading the movement?
A: No. What I am doing is not against party regulations. MCA is a good party, we are organised and democratic.
Furthermore, I have not attacked Ka Ting on his personal life. I have not hit him below the belt, I only criticised his leadership skills and the decisions he made. All this is done on a very professional basis.
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OKT & OKC just a painful memory for MCA who are "silence dumb"
Just neglect it as we see better coalition by PR, which is taking care of the Rakyat in Malaysia.