Chua: I'm not afraid of Ka Ting

MCA presidential candidate Dr Chua Soi Lek has claimed that he is not afraid of fellow-contestant Ong Ka Ting or anyone else, declaring that the word ‘afraid' has never been in his vocabulary.

The former deputy president ( left) told Malaysiakini that he has faced plenty of challenges over the past two years, having been ‘victimised and marginalised' by incumbent president Ong Tee Keat.

He also said Ka Ting's comeback to MCA is of no surprise to him, as it had been planned beforehand.

"Knowing Ka Ting, he knows how to package himself to look very innocent. He has learnt the art of packaging himself way better than Tee Keat," he said.

Ka Ting, he said, should not have justified his return with excuses, when he had kept away from MCA's crisis after his resignation.

Chua also described Tee Keat's handling of the PKFZ scandal as inappropriate, by over-politicising and spinning the issue to get sympathy votes.

Excerpts of the interview follow. The content has been edited for language and clarity.

Malaysiakini: Why did you announce your intention to contest the presidency at the last minute? Are you afraid of Ka Ting?

Dr Chua Soi Lek: No. I am not afraid. I am a very good strategist and am never afraid of anyone. The word ‘afraid' should not come in my vocabulary. In my whole political career, I am one of those people who has dared to face challenges. Over the last two years, I have faced a lot of challenges, so ‘afraid' is never in my vocabulary.

Critics say that you and Tee Keat are the main cause of the crisis in MCA...

No, the problem actually originated from Ka Ting ( below ). On March 8, 2008, we had a political disaster. Why did we (MCA) lose in the general election? Because people were angry with BN and the Chinese were angry with MCA for not standing up for the rights of the Chinese community.

Ka Ting's leadership was seen to be weak and ineffective. He dared not address national issues, and he avoided these. At the height of the unrest, he was still talking about JPA (government) scholarships and lifelong study.

And when the PKFZ issue blew up, he did nothing. Who had appointed and endorsed Tee Keat? It was Ka Ting.

If he was concerned for the party, what would you (Ka Ting) have done as a senior party leader? You (Ka Ting) could have called him (Tee Keat) or anyone else (in MCA). I am sure they would have listened to him.

Similarly, when (former premier) Dr Mahathir Mohamad was not happy with (then premier) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, they had a meeting. When the meeting was not fruitful, Mahathir continued to criticise and attack him. When there was an election, nobody thought of asking him to come back to contest. So do not justify your (Ka Ting's) return to contest; if you (Ka Ting) want to, please do so.

So Ka Ting should learn from Mahathir?

All I am saying is that (Ka Ting) should not justify his action. People are more learned and sophisticated now. If you want to come back and contest, do it but do not justify yourself. You are the problem. You endorsed somebody whom you have never liked as a colleague to be the president. And in that one-and-a-half-years, you never opened your mouth; you said ‘No comment, I am retired, don't disturb me'.

What about the PKFZ issue?

That had nothing to do with me and a lot of (other) MCA members, but it had a lot to do with the transport minister (Tee Keat). This is the spinning by him (Tee Keat) which went haywire, I am sorry but I have to say this.

PKFZ is a fiasco, it is a problem that needs to be resolved but it should not be politicised and brought into MCA to complicate matters.

According to Tee Keat, he became a target because of the PKFZ issue.

No. That is his spinning. Tee Keat ( left ) is the transport minister and MCA president. Your function is way beyond PKFZ. As the MCA president, you have bigger roles to play within the party and the community.

(Instead) you bring (the ministry's problem) into the party, hoping to spin it and get mileage out of it.

Can you state your strengths and weaknesses against the other two presidential hopefuls?

No, I do not want to (make a comparison). Each person has his strengths and weaknesses. I am aware that people will use the (sex) tape to blacken my name but I have never used anything against my colleagues.

In the history of MCA, this is the first time that we have seen two senior leaders being called up by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) so frequently. Have I ever mentioned this in my speech? Never.

But the perception has already been created - that you (Tee Keat) as a minister was called up (by MACC). You were not charged, maybe because you are a minister? That is the perception that people will have. So if I want to spin, I can spin it. But I never have.

Do you think the sex tape will be a liability to BN in the next general election, as perhaps the opposition can use it against you?

Until today, who has used it against me? Who used the tape to attack me? Only my own party leaders. Nobody else used this personal issue to attack me, except for my own leaders, and I was sacked (as deputy president) because of this.

Do you believe the conspiracy theory that Ka Ting is behind your sacking and also behind the no-confidence vote against Tee Keat during the EGM last year?

During the EGM, there was a third force. The few people who played a prominent role in the third force are the same people who want Ka Ting to come back now.

Is there a link?

One must make the conclusion that two plus two must be four. That is my answer.

Could you elaborate?

Two plus two is four. If you people go to university and don't understand that, then you-all go back to (Year) One.

The same people who represent the third force are the same people promoting Ka Ting today. One is a former Selangor exco and the other is a ‘Tan Sri' who used to be very active in MCA. Both were senior leaders.

Their names?

I cannot name names, you people will be sued and I will be sued. Do not cause trouble to your boss. You-all must be aware, in whatever you do, of the legal liability.

Tomorrow: Chua's plans for MCA