In the run-up to the MCA election next year, party vice-president Chua Jui Meng's removal from his Kedah chief post was largely due to his growing popularity among the members, claimed several party grassroots leaders today.

MCA Damansara Baru branch chairman Lee Chong Beng said the removal was "a scheme plotted" by party president Dr Ling Liong Sik in preparation to secure his post.

"In terms of leadership quality, intellectual capability and personality, Chua has overshadowed Ling in many ways," said Lee in a statement.

Yesterday, Ling announced that Chua was replaced by Kedah MCA secretary Beh Heong Seng as the state chairman, a post which Chua had held for the last seven years, with immediate effect.

Lee said Chua had climbed up the political hierarchy in MCA mainly through his own capability rather than being the "blue-eye boy" of certain present leaders.

He added Chua should contest for the party presidential post, saying, "I have full confidence in him and his vision, courage and intelligence to lead the party."

A Kedah state liaison committee member told malaysiakini that while Ling still enjoys the support among majority of members, the party chief is worried about Chua's increasing influence.

"Chua's vocal objection to the takeover of two Chinese dailies in May won him much support overnight, even though one may say the move was more politically motivated than anything else," said the division leader who declined to be named.

In May, when MCA announced its plan to purchase Nanyang Press Holdings, Chua together with seven other central committee members protested against the takeover and rallied support nationwide, leading to an extraordinary general meeting on June 24 to resolve the matter.

The EGM saw a tissue-thin majority voting for the RM230 million deal.

Exert influence

The division leader said an MCA state chairman could exert his influence in aligning the delegates' support to himself, thus giving advantages in the party election.

It was for this reason that Ling had to get rid of Chua, and why phantom branches became a hot issue in recent months, he added.

In late August, Petaling Jaya Selatan division saw its 18 branch leaders claiming that phantom branches consisting non-MCA members were set up to ensure support for several present key leaders.

Under the party constitution, a branch with at least 50 members can send three branch delegates to the divisional assembly. Subsequently, every division can send four delegates for up to the first 500 members to the general assembly where party leaders will be chosen.

The largest Chinese party currently has 932,672 members and 2,384 central delegates.

Another Kedah MCA state liaison committee member said the state division leaders should have no problems working with the newly appointed state chief Beh, who is a native of Kedah and had served in MCA for more than a decade.

"The anger is targeted more at Ling because many felt that he sacked Chua because of the Nanyang takeover," he said on condition of anonymity.

However, the New Straits Times today quoted Ling as saying that the removal was merely to "fulfill the wishes of the Chinese community" as Kedah MCA had long wanted a "local man" to head the party.

Ling also denied that the removal was linked to the Nanyang issue, saying that it was a common practice within MCA that "some leaders come and some go".

The division leader said the biggest drawback for Chua to challenge Ling for the presidential post was his lack of seniority and political experience.

Relatively new

"Chua and Ling are about the same age but Ling started his political career way back and Chua is relatively new," he said.

Ling ( photo, right ), a member of the MCA since 1968, was first elected as a member of parliament in Penang in 1974. He was the party deputy president before replacing Tan Koon Swan as president in 1986. Ling has also been the transport minister since then.

Chua first became a member of parliament in 1986. Prior to becoming the health minister in 1995, a post which he still holds to date, Chua was the parliamentary secretary for the ministry from 1988 to 1990.

Meanwhile, Jerun division chairman Chew Giok Kun said the party president should not have removed Chua without any apparent reason.

Jerun division was previously siding the opposing faction on the controversial Nanyang Siang Pau takeover.

"We can disagree with each other but those with power should not simply take actions without due consideration," said Chew.

When asked, he said the replacement of Johor deputy chairman Ong Ka Ting ( photo ) - known as Ling's protege - was probably just a "smoke screen" which was meant to silence criticisms that Ling was picking on Chua.

"I think the party president should have made some other arrangements for Ong by now," said Chew.

Ong had reportedly relinquished his state party post and given way to his vice Chua Sooi Lek yesterday.