Wee is ‘baggage’ in MCA, says Soi Lek

PETALING JAYA, Oct 21 — Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong will be a liability to MCA if he wins the party presidency, former MCA president Tan Sri Dr Chua Soi Lek has said.

“It is unfortunate that Wee is political baggage of the previous administration, which was associated with former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his wife.

“If you are a member of the previous administration, the general consensus is that you were in cahoots with those who were formerly in power,” Dr Chua told Malay Mail.

Najib was widely blamed for the downfall of the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration after the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition won the May 9 general election.

Asked whether outgoing deputy president Wee contesting the presidency in the MCA election was necessary as he was MCA’s only Member of Parliament, Dr Chua dismissed such justification.

“To me an MP is nothing. What can one MCA MP do in Parliament out of 222 seats? What can he do? Politics is a numbers game, so it makes no difference,” he said.

Endorsing Gan Ping Sieu for MCA president, Dr Chua said Gan was a fresh face not “tainted” by political baggage.

“I support Gan for the sake of the party and not myself,” he said.

As for Ngoo Teck Keong from Beruas MCA who threw his name into the ring at the last minute, Dr Chua said he did not even know who the former was and Ngoo merely wanted his five minutes of fame.

Should Gan lose the election, Dr Chua said he will continue to speak out as he has done for the past five years.

“For the past five years, I gave Wee and outgoing president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai space to transform the party, but I dare say they have done nothing at all,” he said.

He also claimed that Wee and Liow did not practise inclusive leadership, attributing MCA’s losses in the 14th general election to parachute candidates from their faction.

Dr Chua said what is most important now is shoring up party morale as its members are not motivated to conduct any activities.

“Look at the ongoing MCA elections where Wanita MCA’s entire central line-up was returned unopposed.

“This does not demonstrate a will to change, but political fatigue and lack of confidence,” he said, adding that MCA has been reduced to a shadow of its past glory.