Infighting within MCA continued to dog the party even on Chinese New Year today, with banners attacking its president and deputy president appearing at the party's open house in Kuala Lumpur.

chua soi lek 020108 One banner that greeted arrivees to the party’s open house targeted deputy president Chua Soi Lek, mocking him as the ‘Sex Hero.’

“Don't gamble away the pride of the Chinese community. We don't want a sex hero. He has already lost his face. We still want ours", read the banner in reference to a scandal over a sex video that emerged of which Chua was an unwitting star .  

Party president Ong Tee Keat , meanwhile, was attacked in another banner for being “unable to keep his promise", a possible a reference to his vow to step down if he was voted out during the MCA emergency general meeting that was held on Oct 10 last year.

NONE Yet another banner read: "One cannot keep his promise, the other one has no shame. Don't turn MCA into something unbearable. When will integrity return to MCA?"

The banners, hanging on the overhead bridge and road divider opposite the MCA headquarters on Jalan Ampang, were found by media personnel and party members when they arrived this morning for the open house.

Party workers managed to take them down shortly before the arrival of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at 10am.

Show of unity

Vice president Liow Tiong Lai - who had broken ranks with Ong after both Ong and Chua decided to bury the hatchet to remain in power - proclaimed his innocence over the banners.

NONE The health minister also criticized the perpetrators for their rudeness on Chinese New Year and violating the spirit of the occasion.

Chua, meanwhile, declined to lend support to any moves to investigate the matter.

"I am a simple man. I don't care (about these things). Let the people judge for themselves."

He also said this was the nature of politics, of which the “sabotage” of people’s character was expected.

“"Democracy offers choices to people under the system. But people use a variety of other means to launch personal attacks and acts of sabotage."

During the open house, however, Ong, Chua and Liow seemed unperturbed by the incident,  and were models of unity and decorum.

The only noticeable absence this morning was MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong.

When queried about this, Liow - who is said to have been Wee’s political tag-team partner - said on Wee’s behalf that the latter had a Chinese New Year function to attend in Malacca.