ANALYSIS Only one week after the intervention by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, MCA's three-month infighting is coming to an end.

All three faction heads - president Ong Tee Keat, deputy Chua Soi Lek and vice-president Liow Tiong Lai - have agreed to hold fresh party polls.

However, the timing of the said polls has sparked another round of infighting.

Each faction is pushing for their ‘favourable date'. Not because of ‘luck' or feng shui advice, but because timing could be crucial in determining which camp triumphs in the polls.

NONE Ong, who is keeping a low profile after the introduction of his greater unity plan (GUP), wants to amend the party constitution to allow direct elections by members or expanding the number of delegates before holding fresh polls. The amendments could take six to eight months' time.

After a no-confidence vote was passed against him in the Oct 10 extraordinary general meeting (EGM) followed by former loyalist Liow forming his own camp, Ong is now the weakest among the three faction leaders.

The maverick president has lost a lot of credibility due to his recent actions. First he refused to step down after the Oct 10 EGM, going against his own pledge.

On good terms with Chua

Then he dramatically buried the hatchet with his nemesis Chua and introduced the GUP. That was followed by the purging of youth and wanita chiefs from the presidential council along with other Liow loyalists, drawing strong protest from the grassroots.

Thus it is almost a mission impossible for Ong to make a comeback in the next party polls.

What the transport minister can do now is to implement reforms both in the party and ministry, not only to justify his refusal to step down but also to build his political legacy.

Unfinished party reforms and ministry tasks were his reasons to hold on to power after the Oct 10 EGM. Besides inroads made in the investigation of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) fiasco, he has yet to deliver on his other pledges. Those include transforming MCA into a multi-racial party, ‘spring-cleaning' the party membership and direct elections for all members.

What is most needed by the president now is time. If he manages to stay for another six to eight months and implement direct elections, at least he could go down in history as the 'Father of Democratic Reforms'.

For Ong's supporters, they also need time to pacify the grassroots after Ong removed Liow's men. Some of them may start distancing themselves from the ‘troublesome' president.

Chua regains party resources

On the other hand, Chua had been re-accepted into MCA's highest leadership and appointed to lead several important task forces. He also needs time to regain control of the party machinery and political resources released by Ong.

One of the responsibilities of the Chua-led GUP task force is to draft the mechanism of MCA's financial allocation for divisions. Whoever controls the distribution of allocations will have enormous influence among the division leaders.

The result of the Nov 10 EGM had shown that Chua enjoyed strong support from the delegates. If he is given enough time and resources, he could swing more fence-sitters to his side in the polls.

Thus it is not surprising that Chua wanted the polls to be held in March next year.

Liow rides on anti-Ong sentiment

To Liow and his supporters, the earlier the fresh polls are held, the higher the chance for them to win the polls.

NONE After Liow's loyalists were purged by Ong, the dramatic tears of Youth chief Wee Ka Siong and Wanita chief Chew Mei Fun hit the headlines of all Chinese dailies the next day, painting Ong as a cruel dictator.

Ong's high-handed approach had irked many delegates who previously welcomed the GUP. Liow's faction was quick to fan the sentiment and have built up a strong anti-Ong momentum among the grassroots.

The next step would be translating this sentiment into ballots as soon as possible before it subsides.

Obviously Liow's insistence on holding the second EGM this Saturday is to prove that he has grassroots support.

It is estimated with the current anti-Ong sentiment spreading among delegates, Liow's EGM would be able to reach the quorum which is 800 out of 2370 delegates.

This would disprove Najib's claim that Ong and Chua's support base comprise 96 percent of the delegates and eventually halt the GUP initiated by Ong and Chua.

Fresh polls for both wings?

Further controversy has been stoked by suggestions that the Wanita and Youth wings hold fresh polls as well.

The Ong-Chua incumbents proposed the move, while Liow argued that the internal party crisis has nothing to do with the two wings.

This could also tip the poll result as both wings could be influential once central leadership is dissolved. Liow's faction could likely mobilise their support.

In the end, the final kingmaker will be premier Najib himself. The date he chooses for the polls will clearly indicate which side he favours. Maybe this "invisible hand" is the real single factor that could decide MCA's future leadership.

Chew: EGM will proceed unless election date is set