What will Penang MCA Position Be In The Coming 14th GE

What will Penang MCA position be in the coming 14^th.General Election?

I am not a soothsayer. In fact, if you ask any ordinary Penang guy, he will tell you what will be the out-come. If he is diplomatic enough he will answer, “Status quo”. If not, his answer will be “another egg (zero) for another term”.

I am inclined to agree to his view. But, looking at the line-up of the state liaison committee it gave me a ray of hope that there could be improvement. There will be a possibility of the Party winning back a few seats if the right strategy is adopted. The present situation is not totally irreversible.

The Chairperson, she appeared to me is someone who knows what to do. She had shown her daring by keeping the obsolete warlords out of key posts and placed them in the unimportant honorary posts. Her courageous act is to be admired. This could be a part of the game plan to reorganize the Party to begin with.

The Party needs to develop a strong effective image, an image which is capable of daring to voice out, to correct any wrong doing or any unfairness in the policies of the government which affect the public. At the same time, the Party must create an effective avenue where the people can go to request for help. The creating an array of Bureaus headed by capable grass roots leaders to spear head the recovery of a strong effective image of the Party is right. 

Fortunately, there is amble time, approximately four years for the Party as from now to carry out the reformation task. If the Chairperson is resourceful and capable enough to monitor the Bureaus well, then there may be a chance to achieve the aim.

At present, the image of Penang MCA has gone to the dog. To many it is at the critical stage of disintegration. To me there is a ray of hope to nurse it back. The organization structure is still intact but only need is to be up-graded.  There is an urgent need to search for more honest, capable, motivated and trust-worthy grass roots leaders. Without them I am afraid the reformation of the Party is just a dream.

Bear this in mind. In this era, an era of economy, any motivation without substantial incentives will not produce the desired effect. Therefore, grass roots leaders without reasonable incentives will not work diligently to achieve the desired result.

If leaders fail to take note of the above points I am afraid the Party may go for another period of hibernation.

Dr. Chan      28.01.14

Self interest over rides ethical behavior

Self interest over rides ethical behavior ( This is madness ).
                                                                                                          

 “ Soi Lek: Liow broke deal has no credibility” The report from Malaysiankini dated 16.1.14  really startled me. I was wondering, how could Soi Lek, a past President publicly condemned Tiong Lai, the present President as a person of no credibility. He had a hand in the game in getting Tiong Lai winning the Presidency. What Soi Lek is doing now is creating a very bad image to the Party. The Party may be destroyed by his mad act. In fact he needs to be disciplined.  

It makes me wonder. Was Soi Lek under duress (force) by someone then when he supported Liow?        Or was he really looking into the interest of his team members, ensuring them to be appointed into important positions in the Party regardless of their suitability? Or was he in actual fact looking into the interest of his son? What was the Peace Plan really for?

Recounting what had taken place, I feel Soi Lek by his Peace Plan had done more harm to the Party than strengthening it. Look at the Peace Plan. He wanted a contest at the Presidential level. He even sacrificed Mr. Gan by using him as a pawn to draw votes away from Ong Tee Keat. This was just to ensure Liow would win. At the Deputy level he even sacrificed Lim to ensure Lim had no chance to fight for the Vice Chairman post. He wanted no contest in the Vice Chairman post and the Committee post. He placed his son in the Vice Chairman level.  It is to ensure his son win the Vice Chairman post and be appointed into whatever position negotiated for. Now the Peace Plan had turned awry. It is expected to be. How can the President accommodate all the demand of Soi Lek. It seemed the President had even gone out of his way by appointing double deputy chairman in four states to accommodate his request. This is against the Party Constitution. His son was appointed as Chairman of the Perlis State Liaison Committee and which post was not negotiated for. To Soi Lek this was a betrayal. He was very much agitated and lost his cool. He is now revealing his true character.  

Mr. President, members hope you should stand firm and use the Party Constitution to guide you. MCA belongs to all members and not to a few who happened to be given the mandate to lead.

Personal agreement on matters affecting the Party made between leaders cannot over ride Party Constitution. Should there is a need, a properly elected committee or an appointed committee must be formed to deal with the issues. Any fundamental change to the structure of the Constitution a Referendum or a General Meeting needs to be held to get the mandate from the members to change. Creating extra positions such as creating extra Deputy Chairman of State Liaison Committee just to accommodate the personal agreement which termed as Peace Plan is incorrect.

Dr. Chan       17.01.14

Factionalism Persists In MCA

Factionalism persists in MCA

May I refer to the article dated 7^th.Jan2014 appearing at the FMT news, “Factionalism persists in MCA” written by Stanley Koh, the former head of MCA research unit, now the FMT columnist. 

Stanley Koh was right in drawing the attention of readers to the fact that factions still persists in MCA. I would say it is a fact that all organizations whether political or non political do have factions. It is up to the wisdom of the leadership to minimize the adverse effect fermented by the various factions and convert the adverse effect to the advantage of the organization. Should the leadership is able to exercise such wisdom I am sure the public will look at the organization with respect and place their hope of their future in it. Bringing up the fact that there are factions is admirable, showing braveness but, without suggesting any advice that may be useful to the leadership to cure the disease looks hollow. It may infer the writer is not writing with the intention of bettering the organization, but as a voice that supports a faction.

In my opinion factions in the MCA were made worse by the so called Peace Plan. The opinion of the public was that there was no actual democratic selection of leadership at all. The selection was predetermined. The voting was directed. Most of the honest and capable were excluded by way of manipulation from those who called the shot.

Further down the line, there were appointments to posts where same old faces from both sides surfaced. They were appointed under the Peace Plan. In the eyes of the public they were considered dead wood and not worthy at all to lead, except enriching themselves. Already there were adverse comments of the recent line-up of the Wanita wing from senior members. I am sure the public and members are very interested in the rest of the line-ups. This is a crucial stage to the organization. The leadership must be honest in action. Appoint those who are clean and capable to hold positions. The leadership must be brave enough to correct mistakes quickly should there were mistakes made.

MCA must change its perception. It must be seen as an organization free from control from any quarters. Leaders must be honest and capable, honest in their actions and capable in swaying government policies to meet the level of fairness, thus, save- guarding the interest and survival of the Malaysian Chinese community.

If this dream is achieved I am sure MCA will be relevant again to the Malaysian Chinese community.

MCA Wanita- "Wong Fei Hung" ( Close-Shop )

MCA Wanita at Federal Level-“Wong Fei Hung”

The national wanita line-up as announced by the Chairperson had drawn shattering shameful response from the wanita branch leaders and senior wanita members. Majority said, after seeing the wanita national line-up, we were of the opinion that those newly appointed to various important posts were in fact the same people who had never proven anything worth mentioning. It was like changing the soup without changing the recipe.

They further said, to make things worse, there were some public known tainted characters were even appointed to important position. It was equated as putting monkey to take care of bananas.

With such a perception from the party’s own members, you can conclude what will be to the wanita as from now?

Comment from WK Chan

Sent from Windows Mail

The present political scenario  does not seem to indicate any optimistic sign for Malaysian Chinese to enjoy the legitimate  rights and positions as before when the country first achieved independence. As times went on the MCA leaders due to their incapability and incompetency failed to safeguard them.

The embattled Malaysian Chinese lost heart and discarded the MCA as irrelevant They rooted for DAP as they believed DAP could salvage back their legitimate rights and positions The results of the last elections already showed this trend.

It is hoped that the newly elected MCA leaders can work towards regaining those legitimate rights and positions and get back the confidence and support of the Malaysian Chinese. Only then MCA leaders are  able to raise their heads high with dignity and pride as true partner in BN to work towards the progress of the country as MCA is the second biggest component party in BN. As true partners MCA and UMNO should both value the symbiotic existence at all times  for the benefits and progress of the nation

Dr.Chan comments on MCA Penang State line up.

Will MCA in Penang state be able to crack the egg in the 14^th.General Election? I think your answer is as good as mine. It all depends on how the party reorganizes and plays the correct cards.

Many had been wondering and viewed this question with uncertain answers. Some believed, the present adverse perception of the party is partly the wish of heaven. Yet others have a different view to it. Majority see it as self- created. They contributed it to bad leadership. Leaders do not have the courage to voice out wrong doings within and without and dare not correct wrong doings. Thus, creating a strong suspicion and believe that the party is been controlled and manipulated by an unseen hand behind the screen.  Insincere, gutless, self- interested leaders are more to blame. It seemed the unseen hand all these years had a strong grip of the party to ensure obedience, loyalty and to echo what were wanted to echo. Now, to break this strong grip and to alter the present adverse perception of the party to a better one, it will be quite a task. The party needs brave, honest, and capable leaders to lead. The party also needs a great purge. Dead wood, defeated candidates in General Election, tainted characters, those who secured their party positions through questionable manipulation and those educationally unqualified must be put aside. Appoint those who are honest, brave and educationally qualified to do the job. There are ample of them and I am sure if they are invited and given the right incentive they will gladly accept the invitation for they have been hibernating for quite some years, ignored and unrecognized. 

Under the present rejection circumstances, it is of natural consequence that the party which claims to represent and protect the Malaysian Chinese community and their interest, yet could not perform its task, be rejected and condemned. The sad part is that even the Prime Minister condemned, threatened, and made fun of the party in the party annual general meeting of late. I am not repeating those words that the Prime Minister uttered. I am ashamed to do so.

The leadership line-up as well as revealing the task ahead by the newly elected President, Dato Seri Leow Tiong Lai on the 2^nd.Jan 2014 appeared to me the leadership is now earnestly trying to reorganize the party to be in a better state and acceptable to the Malaysian Chinese community at large.

Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, one of the Vice Presidents was appointed as the Chairperson of the MCA Penang State Liaison Committee. It will be her duty to select her team to achieve this goal. If she is able to play her cards correctly there is a ray of hope that the Party may recapture a few seats in the coming 14^th General Election.  

Dr. Chan         03.01.2014