Former ntv7 Mandarin news anchor Victor Gu and blogger Jeff Ooi have been high-profile political captures for the MCA and DAP in recent weeks, but the recruitment exercise has apparently just started.

According to sources, the next wave of political freshmen may include scholars and leaders of Chinese associations. They, however, are coy about announcing their entry into political parties until an election is called.

In some instances, the chasing of potential candidates by parties on both sides of the political divide has all the competitiveness of established football clubs trying to sign particular targets.

The MCA is said to be interested in roping in Associate Professor Dr Hou Kok Chung (photo), who heads the Institute of China Studies in Universiti Malaya. He graduated from the same university, majoring on Chinese studies.

An active student leader, he played a crucial role in reviving the university's Chinese Language Society which had been banned since the 1970s. His research interests were mainly on China and the Chinese Malaysian community.

He is perceived to be a close adviser of MCA president Ong Ka Ting (left) and had helped launch the latter's first book, 'Quotations of Ong Ka Ting', just 10 days before the party elections in 2005. At the time, Ong was involved in a leadership tussle with then vice-president Chua Jui Meng (right).

Hou is also the deputy head of the Humanity Building Unit under Ong's flagship programme, 'Lifelong Learning Malaysia'.

According to party sources, Hou is tipped to contest in the Kelana Jaya parliamentary seat, currently held by MCA's Loh Seng Kok. Should he win, he is slated to fill the post of deputy higher education minister.

Hou could not be reached for comment despite several attempts.

Prospects in Sabah

The head-hunting is said to be fierce for the 'genius scholar' Dr Oh Ei Sun, who is wanted by parties in Barisan Nasional (BN) and the opposition front.

Born in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, he entered the University of California at the age of 16. Within eight years, he had completed three degree programmes, two master's degrees and earned a doctorate.

On returning home in 2001, Oh (right in photo) became a lecturer in Universiti Malaysia Sabah and at the Help University College. He is a columnist with several newspapers and a popular speaker on issues affecting society at events organised by non-governmental organisations, Chinese associations and political parties.

Party sources said the Sabah DAP has offered him the Sandakan parliamentary seat, but that he has rejected the offer. There is also speculation that BN's Chinese-based parties in Sabah have held out the same seat to him.

Incumbent Chong Hon Min, the only Independent in the Dewan Rakyat, beat BN's Liberal Democratic Party-Sabah candidate Lau Ngan Siew. However, Chong is also viewed as a supporter of BN's Sabah Progressive Party.

However, a local political activist told malaysiakini that there are obstacles to Oh standing in Sandakan. For example, Sabah voters traditionally resist candidates from other districts.

Should Oh enter politics, tongues would wag among Chinese-based parties. Besides, the Liberal Democratic Party-Sabah has announced that its president Liew Vui Keong will contest in Sandakan.

Oh, too, could not be reached for comment.

PKR moves

Not to be outdone, PKR is said to be eyeing respected former academician Dr Lim Teck Ghee, who once helmed the think-tank Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) in the Centre for Public Policy Studies.

Talk is that he is being asked to join the party as a supreme council member and to stand in the Petaling Jaya Selatan parliamentary seat.

Lim had no comment beyond saying that he feels "flattered that the PKR may want to consider me as candidate".

Saying that the party is based on good principles which would help make Malaysia a progressive country, he added that he sees his own role " mainly as an independent and non-partisan social critic and commentator".

Lim sparked a debate on the 36-year-old New Economic Policy when Asli said in a report to the government that bumiputera equity could already be as high as 45 percent.

The research met with fierce criticism from Umno leaders, prompting Lim - who stood by the findings - to resign from the institute. He has since frequently called for the NEP to be terminated through media statements and in talks that echoed the PKR's New Economic Agenda.

Another PKR target - or so it has long been circulated - is Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) civil rights committee head Ser Choon Ing, although he has dismissed this as mere rumour.

His view is that only group action, not individual action, will create a strong impact on the political structure.

"The entry of freshmen is a hot topic, but will not change the political structure," he said.

Ser graduated from Wales University with a law degree and has actively participated in Chinese associations and the civil rights movement. He was secretary of the Malaysian Chinese Organisation Election Appeals Committee (Suqiu), formed before 1999 general election.

He held himself with dignity in facing Umno Youth's threat to burn down KLSCAH in 2000, in the wake of political confrontation sparked by Suqiu's election demands.