'I'm no dictator to take on Kit Siang on a whim'
MCA president Chua Soi Lek today said he could not be parachuted into Gelang Patah to contest against DAP supremo Lim on a whim because unlike his rival party, MCA was not a dictator.
MCA president Chua Soi Lek today said he could not be parachuted into Gelang Patah to contest against DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang on a whim because unlike his rival party, MCA was not a dictator.
“In Gelang Patah, our division chief Jason Teoh has worked there for four years so we must be fair to him and the 13,000 MCA members.
“If I go there and say I want to contest, how will the grassroots feel? I don’t have that liberty because I am not a dictator like DAP,” he told a press conference at the MCA headquarters this evening.
In contrast, Chua (
right
) said DAP could transport their leaders to any constituency without the need to consider the local leaders there due to its dictatorial practices.
He was responding to Pasir Gudang MCA division leader Tan Cher Puk who had urged Chua to take on Lim in Gelang Patah to raise the MCA’s morale.
“I thank him for his concern, but it would be best for him to take care of his own division,” said Chua.
Chua was tight-lipped on whether he would contest in the upcoming general election.
In a bid to capture federal power, DAP has began an offensive in Johor and had since announced it will field two big names for parliamentary seats in Johor, namely Lim in Gelang Patah and Liew Chin Tong in Kluang.
‘People just curious about DAP ceramahs’
Chua also weighed into the huge turnout at DAP ceramahs in Johor, stating that it was merely a case of the rakyat being curious at new faces that were being parachuted into Johor.
“They (rakyat) have been seeing us for a long time, they have seen my face in Johor for 26 years, (MCA vice-president) Gan Ping Sieu for nine years, (MCA central committee member) Hou Kok Chong for five years and (MCA Youth chief) Wee Ka Siong for 15 years, so they say already basi (stale).
“So when they see new faces (from DAP), it is human nature to be curious,” he said.
Chua also rubbished claims that he had skipped an MCA ceramah in Muar as it paled in comparison to a huge ceramah by DAP some two kilometres away.
“There are a lot of ceramahs where you see (DAP secretary-general) Lim Guan Eng’s and (DAP adviser) Lim Kit Siang’s faces (on posters) but they do not turn out.
“If it so happens that I am around and they are not, why don’t you ask the same question to them (DAP)?” he shot back.
He reiterated that MCA’s and by extension BN’s election candidate list will only be finalised after Parliament is dissolved and urged the press not to speculate as it may affect the potential candidates.
He added that most of the MCA top leadership will be contesting in the coming general election but some may be dropped due to retirement, although he declined to reveal any names.
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