Dr Ling Liong Sik's decision to resign from the Cabinet reminds me of a potential Agatha Christie's mystery ... imagine the scene where a murder is reported to have been committed, but where is the body?
Just like solving a murder mystery, one need to piece together "disparate" clues and fit the jigsaw into place. In a political maze, one has to read in between the lines and even to discern from what's not there or not said. The absence of a body does not rule out a murder, hence an omission says as much as an act.
The latest development in the Ling saga is that the MCA chief, with the agreement of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, is taking leave for two weeks from official duties. This is to give him time to ruminate over the huge outpourings of support from party leaders and members urging him to "reconsider his decision" as he is deemed "irreplaceable".
But in Mahathir's public comments praising Ling's outstanding services relating to port services, I detected a refrain that sounded like an "eulogy", or am I imagining things?
However, Ling's temporary absence put the smiles back on many of the faces of the president's men. Their sifu will not give up without a fight, despite reiterating his stand of "having decided to resign" remains as he told the press following a Cabinet meeting and a separate one-to-one chat with Dr Mahathir.
The MCA president says, time and again, he has decided to resign, but where is the resignation letter?
Is there a clue for the real reason to explain the "sudden unexpected" act in the four-sentence press statement signed by MCA deputy chief Lim Ah Lek following an emergency.meeting of the MCA Presidential Council on Monday? ("[#1] MCA president resigns Cabinet position[/#] ", May 22).
The first intimation of a "plausible" reason averred to for Ling's expressed wish to resign is contained in the sentence: "We (the council members) further expressed full confidence that under his leadership the present problems within the party will be fully and amicably resolved."
The protagonist stated at an other occasion one of these "problems" related to insufficient ministerships to go around for the four party vice-presidents. The master therefore said it was right time now to bow out of the Cabinet, having served 14 years. With his "act of sacrifice", the public recommendation is to promote fourth vice-president Chan Kong Choy, for the post vacated by Ling himself. A magnanimous act indeed from Ling to Chan, well known to be aligned with Lim, Ling's nemesis.
Lim did not re-contest his parliamentary seat in the November general elections, as then he was planning to "retire" from politics soon. This plan was deferred when Ling did not keep part of his pre-election bargain that Chan would be appointed a full minister.
As anyone with remotest tint of Chinese blood in him will know, it is "treachery" to accept the sifu's (master's) sacrifice. With one fell swoop, Chan's ambition of ascending to finally becoming the party chief (in line with Lim's wishes) is checkmated. This makes the task of grooming Ling's anointed successor, Ong Ka Ting, already Minister of Housing and Local Government, smoother. This must also account for Ling wishing to retain his party's leadership.
Is it coincidence that on another front, fugitive businessman Soh Chee Wen is reported to have been "arrested" in a foreign country, subsequently dismissed as rumours. However, according to good sources, it's more probable that Soh, now on the run for close to a year, has been in touch with the Malaysian authorities to work out a deal to enable him to return.
This "impending" return would have a bearing on Hee Leong, Ling's eldest son, who in early 1997 made news headlines by becoming the youngest billionaire at 27, gaining control of four KLSE public listed companies. This was achieved with the help of Soh, who harboured his own political ambitions and was once appointed to the MCA presidential council.
The financial crisis which started in mid-1997 brought the KLSE crashing too, and Soh made his disappearing act overseas while Ling junior stayed home licking his wounds.
But how does this Soh episode fit in the puzzle of the Ling's ongoing saga?
Well, yesterday, MCA deputy head Lim led three of the party vice-presidents, including Chan, to discuss with Mahathir their president's dilemma. After the meeting, according to Nanyang Siang Pau's website, [#2] www.nanyang.com.my[/#] , today that Chan Kong Choy told the press that the Prime Minister had told them about the reason of Ling's resignation.
However, Chan claimed that it is "not appropriate" for him to reveal the details of the meeting.
Chan insisted that he has never asked for anyone's resignation to make way for him to become a full minister. He also said that he was shocked and cannot accept that Ling had cited as a reason to resign to vacate the post of transport minister to him (Chan).
The "details" which were not revealed, to my mind, are related to the business links of Hee Leong and Soh, which could prove "embarassing to the government", the "missing link" that would give a plausible explanation to Ling senior's "sudden unexpected"decision.
Soh's impending return would render Ling's continued stay in the Cabinet "untenable", but Chan and other vice presidents present at the meeting with Mahathir found it "inappropriate" to sing and tell.
If my "educated guess" at this omission is right, it shows a "glaring inconsistency" between the reason averred to in the first press statement issued by Lim Ah Lek that party problems had to do with his resignation but the real problem is more private and is about to explode into the public domain.
A two-year-old bind has now become a Gordian knot. A billion, by the way, has nine "naughts' following the numero uno.
[#3] Party chief owes his Waterloo to junior?[/#] (May 22)
CHONG YEN LONG, a journalist with more than two decades of news agency, diplomatic and print media experience, is now a member of the malaysiakini team. He hopes that Ruminations will enrich our commitment to freedom of speech and intelligent discourse.
