Crowd size no barometer of success

Do the number of guests showing up at dinner parties give an indication on who will emerge victorious at the MCA polls tomorrow?

The three MCA presidential candidates have sought to cement their chances to be the next party boss by showing up at the many gatherings hosted by division leaders in Penang.

They were always greeted by much fanfare, powerful handshakes and smiling faces, sloganeering, banner displays, drum performances or lion dances.  

But the demographics at these dinners showed a marked difference among the ‘adulterer’ Chua Soi Lek, ‘recycled’ Ong Ka Ting and ‘snobbish’ Ong Tee Keat.

Chua’s functions were mostly attended by a mixed crowd of the youth and elderly, with mostly veterans seen at Ka Ting’s, and the young more notably present at Tee Keat’s do.

So far, Chua’s parties attracted the biggest crowd, but one cannot be certain if they comprised actual delegates with voting rights although about 380 were reportedly present in Bukit Mertajam on Thursday night.

He managed to pull support from six division leaders – Tanjung, Kepala Batas, Bayan Baru, Balik Pulau, Berapit and Bukit Gelugor.

However, a frequent party goer, who declined to be named, remarked that he could see many DAP supporters among the 1,000-odd guests at the dinner hosted by former Berapit assemblyperson Lau Chiek Tuan.

“They all come from the same community, same few villages. When there is a free dinner, they all come,” he said, tongue in cheek.

“Bukit Mertajam is a DAP stronghold. One could be an MCA member but when election comes, he or she will cast their vote in the Rocket’s favour,” he revealed.

Meanwhile, a smaller group of 150 people attended Ka Ting’s luncheon party in Seberang Jaya yesterday.

But the former MCA president was quick to claim that many had communicated their intention to meet with him if not for their work commitments.

 

“They have sent emails to inform that they could not make it due to work,” he told reporters, adding that there were 75 delegates and four division leaders - Permatang Pauh, Tasek Gelugor, Batu Kawan and Kepala Batas - at lunch with him.

Tee Keat has smallest crowd

Tee Keat, had an even smaller gathering of 100 people last night, with only three division leaders – Bagan, Bukit Bendera and Jelutong - by his side.

The incumbent presidential candidate was unfazed by the poor showing. Instead, he took the opportunity to criticise his key rival, Ka Ting.

He accused Ka Ting of engineering the party crisis, masterminding Chua’s sacking over the sex DVD scandal and instigating the ‘third force’ to split the party.

Chua had also targeted Ka Ting in his speeches by subtly implying that the former president acted cowardly in front of Umno by not defending Chinese rights vocally enough, though he called himself a MCA “saviour”.

But political observers noticed that the underlying reason for the party infighting has little to do with who will be the new party chief.  

Journalism lecturer Wong Chin Huat said the polls are a clear indication of how badly the 61-year-old party had been affected by the March 8 political tsunami.  

“Suddenly, the pie has shrunk, and there are simply not enough crumbs to go around,” added Wong, a keen advocate of press freedom.  

Wong, an active campaigner for free and fair elections also warned, “There is just too little to share, someone has to ‘die’ - to retire from politics or quit the party altogether.”