By Lee Wei Lian
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 — The MCA leadership soap opera took another turn today with the group calling itself the “third force” reversing its earlier position to now support the leadership of party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and deputy Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.
Third force spokesman Datuk Tan Kah Choun said the group supported any initiative to unite the party such as Ong's "Greater Unity Plan" and is against a proposed Nov 28 extraordinary general meeting (EGM) calling for fresh elections pushed by Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai's allies.
He claimed that the party vice-president and his supporters in the central committee were aligned to past MCA president and deputy president Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting and Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy.
Tan also alleged that those who called for the latest EGM had a "hidden agenda" to "safeguard their positions and interest."
"The MCA leaders know how to play on sentiments. They don't think of the party. The loser will be MCA," Tan told a press conference here today.
Liow did not immediately respond to a request for a response to Tan's claims.
Tan, who is a central delegate, however stopped short of calling for a boycott of the Nov 28 EGM, saying he has not decided yet to attend the meeting.
The third force had previously urged MCA central delegates to reject both Ong and Chua at the Oct 10 EGM and the results appeared to show that the third force had some influence when two of the three resolutions went against the two men.
Tan also asserted that party delegates were "fed up" with the 2nd EGM as the party’s annual general meeting (AGM) was just a week later on Dec 5.
He also claimed that of the 16 central committee members who requisitioned for the EGM, three had switched support to the unity plan.
"Fresh elections are required only if two-thirds of the central committee resign. Even if the resolutions of the EGM are passed, the central committee members are still legal and do not have to resign," said Tan, who is chairman of the Rasa Jaya branch in Selangor.
He urged Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak to consult 11 MCA party veterans especially Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and Tan Sri Michael Chen.
"Tun Ling was party president for 17 years so he should know how to deal with this while Michael had the most grassroots support in past MCA crises," said Tan.
He was coy, however, on whether Ling was behind the third force, only saying that there were four MCA veterans involved.
Other veterans named by Tan as men Najib should consult were Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, Tan Sri Lee San Choon, Datuk Dr Neo Yee Pan, Datuk Mak Hon Kam, Tan Koon Swan, Tan Sri Lee Kim Sai, Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek, Ka Ting and Kong Choy.
He said as a last resort, the prime minister should consult Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the latter had "solved three previous MCA crises."
"It should not be seen as Umno interfering with MCA," said Tan. "MCA does not have any resources to split and Barisan Nasional does not have time to wait."
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It cannot end here! Go on chinese in MCA while we outside
will relax and enjoy!