MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek's opponents who had planned to sabotage an extraordinary general meeting (EGM), proposed by the party’s central committee to enable the postponement of internal polls, are now caught on the back foot.

NONE Chua’s decision to leave it to the party’s 2,370 delegates to decide on whether the EGM needs to be held has effectively put the delegates on the steering wheel.

And this has allowed Chua to dodge any criticism should the resolution for the proposed amendment to the party constitution be defeated.

Initially, the party's central committee (CC) had  geared towards the EGM in order to follow other BN component parties in postponing internal polls, so that they may concentrate on a snap general election heavily expected either this year or the next.  

Currently, the party constitution only allows internal polls to be postponed if it is due 42 months after the general elections.

Branch and division elections scheduled to begin next month falls short of the condition, being only 36 months after the March 2008 general election.

Chua, rather than invoke his power as party president to call for an EGM to vote on the constitutional amendment, has passed the responsibility to the delegates.

Now Chua merely needs a third of the delegates to sign a requisition for the EGM. Many party leaders believe that he can easily obtain the numbers and sail through the EGM.

Dissidents compelled to toe line

Previously, Malaysiakini had reported that supporters of Chua’s opponents were rallying their troops to defeat the proposal at the EGM, as a vote of no-confidence against the president.

Chua's opponents include the 'Three Ongs': Ong Tee Keat and Ong Ka Ting - who were both defeated by Chua in the 2010 internal polls for party presidency - along with Ka Ting’s elder brother Ka Chuan, who lost the contest for deputy presidency the same year.

NONE Combined, supporters of the three could have easily mustered enough votes to defeat the resolution.

A two-thirds majority of delegates is required to pass the resolution.

With the latest move in passing the responsibility of calling the EGM to the delegates, defeating the resolution would be deemed a blatant attempt to cause party disunity, thus forcing supporters of the 'Three Ongs' to toe the line.

Chua has thus not only stymied a possibly embarrassing revolt, he has also managed to portray himself as a democratic leader who respects the grassroots.

"Now the EGM will be called by the delegates, not Chua, hence there is no point for the anti-Chua factions to sabotage the EGM," said a party insider who declined to be named.

Following Chua's game plan

Leaving nothing to chance, Chua has assigned three leaders who were previously aligned to different factions to go on a nationwide roadshow. They will brief delegates on the EGM and collect signatures for the requisition.

NONE They are deputy president Liow Tiong Lai ( left ), vice-president Ng Yen Yen and central committee member Lee Chee Liong.

Liow was previously aligned to Ka Ting’s faction while Lee was aligned to Tee Keat during the fractious party row in 2009 and 2010. Ng is a staunch Chua supporter.

By employing faces familiar to all three factions, it is believed that Chua is again insuring himself by diluting possible dissent.

"The three (opponents) have no choice but to mobilise their supporters to sign the petition because none of them want to be seen as obstacle to the EGM.

"They don't want members to say they are undermining the party unity," said the party insider.

Many in the party believe that Chua wants to gauge his support within the party through the signature campaign before he makes the final decision on the EGM.

"However, the number of signatures may not reflect the true picture because many will sign the petition to avoid being labelled as anti-Chua," a leader in the anti-Chua camp told Malaysiakini .

"For the time being, we'll have to follow Chua's game plan (to support the EGM). Let's see if he can lead MCA to survive in the next general election," he added.