Amid recent speculation, MCA deputy president Dr Chua Soi Lek today broke his silence and stated that he has turned down the offer to helm national daily The Star .

NONE Chua ( right ) today clarified his decision not to accept the appointment as Star group chairman.

In a press statement, Chua confirmed the speculation sparked by two Chinese newspapers a few days earlier. He acknowledged that the party leadership had discussed the matter, and had recommended him for the post.

“In view of the fact that I am still active politically, it is best that I not accept the offer.”

Best interests of party

Chua said the decision was made in the best interests of the party, Star shareholders and readers.

He strongly feels that it is inappropriate for him to hold the top position in a media company while he is still actively involved in politics.

“I want to see The Star grow from strength to strength and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the leadership for its confidence in me.”

NONE Star’s chairman post has not been filled after former chairman Leong Tang Chong (left ), who was also the party's legal bureau chief, was removed by party president Ong Tee Keat after being accused of insubordination.  

However Chua’s influence in the party remain intact as he still the chairman of the powerful party affairs management committee.

With the current party president Ong being unwell and admitted to the hospital for a leg surgery recently, Chua has become the party’s main spokesperson.

Catch-22 situation

The party leadership under Ong is said to have offered the post to Chua in order to compensate him for not being able to hold any government post. Chua resigned as the health minister in January 2008 after his sex DVD scandal broke out.

Chua is purportedly trapped in a catch-22 situation where if he decides to take up the post, he would be accused of reneging on his promise.

He is said to have been campaigning on the premises that he will make sure the party’s assets will be run professionally and without any political inference.

Chua’s faction has been accusing Ong’s followers of abusing The Star by using the paper to shore up the incumbent’s position during the run-up to the last party EGM held last October.

The EGM was called after Chua was suspended by the party’s central committee over his sex DVD scandal for tarnishing the party image. 

NONE However in a sudden turnabout after the EGM, both Ong ( right) and Chua declared a truce , burying the hatchet and retaining their posts as president and deputy president respectively.

Liow Tiong Lai and 12 other central committee members decided to break away from Ong, forming a third faction to prolong MCA’s internal party struggles.