PETALING JAYA, Feb 14 – Political squabbling in Malaysia since the 13th general election has not taken a back seat as yet.
It has not only impacted the average Malaysian but also political parties from both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR).
MCA and MIC are still licking their wounds post election, compounded with internal conflicts especially after their internal party polls.
MCA’s representation in parliament went dwindling from 15 to seven seats that prompted the then party president Dr Chua Soi Lek to announce that he would not defend his post in the party’s election held in December last year.
Nevertheless, Chua was not in the mood to give his then deputy Liow Tiong Lai an easy ride into the president’s chair. Instead the two took their verbal spat to public; to the extent Chua even used a major daily to highlight Liow’s perceived weaknesses.
Chua, who had been the health minister before, even blamed Liow for MCA’s dismal electoral performance, thus pushed for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to censure the latter. Anyway the bid failed miserably.
It was rumoured that Chua was still toying with the idea of defending his presidency, thus his attacks targeted against Liow.
When the EGM motion was defeated, Chua knew his time was up but that did not stop him from criticising his successor.
Shortly after Liow assumed his presidency, Chua was fast in condemning Liow in January alleging that he had breached a promise to appoint several of the formers loyalists to key positions in the party.
And in a recent move, a call for another EGM is underway to undo the party’s resolution in barring MCA MPs from holding any government posts; which was Chua’s idea indeed.
As 1,919 delegates have signed the petition calling the EGM, it has yet to be seen as to how Chua would react to this. A minimum of 800 is needed to call for an EGM and this has definitely surpassed the figure remarkably.
MIC’s dilemma continues
On the other end of the spectrum, MIC’s grassroots members and party stalwarts are extremely displeased in the manner the party polls were conducted last November in Malacca.
In fact some party members have also taken up the issue right up to the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
Former MIC youth chief T Mohan had alleged that there were irregularities in the party polls, such as claims that the number of votes exceeded the number of delegates present.
MIC vice president M Saravanan also raised the members’ concerns at the party’s central working committee (CWC) meeting held last week but the matter was dismissed by party supremo, G Palanivel.
The CWC also shot down calls for investigation on the matter. But talk has it that the CWC’s decision had only caused more anger among its members.
It is said that several party leaders are mulling a huge protest against the decision.
PKR’s in-fighting
Whereas in the opposition camp, PKR seems to be lost in quelling the open animosity between party deputy president Azmin Ali and the Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
The bad blood between the two has been around since 2010 but took a nastier turn after the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS) booted Azmin from the board as one of the directors.
Khalid, who is also the PKNS chairman, has been accused by some PKR’s loyalists for Azmin’s removal though it is still uncertain and unconfirmed as to who really gave the directions.
Fearing that a ‘civil war’ may erupt in PKR, its de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim is now gunning for the MB’s position in Selangor, provided he wins the Kajang state by-election on March 23.
But how will Khalid’s hardcore followers view the take over if it occurs? Will it be the answer in overcoming the feud between Khalid and Azmin?
The answers may only be forthcoming when PKR hold its party poll in April.
– FREE MALAYSIA TODAY
