Chua is new MCA President, Liow Wins Deputy President Post

Former MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek won the president's post with a slim 68-vote majority, edging former number one Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting and incumbent Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat in the party's elections.

Dr Chua, 62, polled 901 votes to Ka Ting's 833, Tee Keat came in third with 578 votes.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai clinched the deputy president's post when he garnered 1,171 votes to beat former vice-president and fellow Cabinet minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha by 65 votes. Kong had obtained 1,106 votes.

For the four posts of vice-president, sole woman contender Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen had the highest number of votes - 1,528, followed by former vice-president Datuk Donald Lim (1,469), Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung (1,202) and Central Committee (CC) member Gan Ping Sieu (also 1,202).

The MCA CC reflects that of presidential race with no clear winner among the three factions.

The question arises: Can Dr Chua Soi Lek unite MCA ?

King disappointed with new media for "slander, lies and distortion of facts"

Tuanku Mizan said freedom of speech was not an excuse for any party to demean others to the extent of inflaming conflict and inciting racial sentiments.

The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin has expressed his disappointment that slander, lies and distortion of facts still prevailed in the new media.

“All parties involved must realize that no religion condones such actions.
“We urge them to cease committing these irresponsible acts.

“At the same time, the authorities must take stern actions against those involved,” he said.

Tuanku Mizan said freedom of speech was not an excuse for any party to demean others to the extent of inflaming conflict and inciting racial sentiments.

He said in the last two sessions of the Dewan Rakyat, he had reminded all MPs that good conduct was paramount in the House.

“Unfortunately, there are still embers who display manners and deeds unbecoming of elected representatives.

“Please bear in mind that all of you are constantly being watched by the people.

PM: No local gov't elections

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said it was unnecessary to hold local government elections as it would cause too much politicking.

Najib said instead of electing local government representatives, he said the focus should be instead on improving services of local authorities. He said this in response to demands by the Pakatan Rakyat held state governments of Penang and Selangor to hold local polls.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said his DAP-led government wanted to restore elections in the state's two municipal councils and he had written a letter to the Election Commission urging the agency to organize them.

A day later, Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said that his government would follow suit.

Local polls were suspended following the declaration of emergency on Sept 3, 1964, which remains in force.

It has been over 40 years since the government outlawed local council elections through the Local Government Act 1976.

Defection caused PKR faces uphill political battle

The opposition has suffered a grievous political blow due to the defection of Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Mohd Hashim, Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng and Bagan Serai MP Mohsein Samsuri.

The defection caused the falling popularity and growing public dissatisfaction toward opposition. It gives historic opportunity to the ruling party to regain the political domination and opposition continued to fade.

Looking at the opposition hits by spate of defections and in-fighting, one can conclude that opposition has entered an era of dramatically declining influence and power.

Notwithstanding the fact that the unprincipled PKR politicians are political frogs, it is relatively clear that opposition has no reputation and credibility.

The defections of 3 state assembly persons from their respective opposition coalition party in the Perak State Legislative Assembly are typical examples other than the 3 MPs. 2 of them defected from PKR while the third left DAP.

Should another two PKR MPs Wee Choo Kheong and Zulkifli Nordin, whom were absent from the ‘pledge of loyalty’ gathering defect the party, the political power of the opposition will ruin further.

Undeniably, the deflection of PKR members of Parliament has caused the opposition to diminishing steadily the political influence space and moral preeminence.

It seriously undermines opposition's credibility and reputation. Clearly, opposition faces an uphill political battle.

DAP and the unscrupulous PKR Tan Tee Beng

The overwhelming majority of opposition politicians especially PKR are being seen as power seeking for their personal interests, including sustaining their own power at the expense of the party and public.

In the minds of the public, the institutional power is being used by them as an instrument of power for their own benefit. It was claimed that the inter-party cooperation alliance between DAP-PKR and PAS is significant in a way that it brings the strongest-yet challenge to the rule of BN.

The very fact that the opposition parties created the March 8th tsunami to control five states and one-third of the parliament is being seen as an unexpected defeat. In fact no one foresee such results, included BN and the opposition as there was no conspicuous sign before the elections.

The accusation that the cooperation between DAP, PKR and PAS is not genuine, they were united merely out of a “marriage of convenience” as most of the political analysts had claimed thus justified.

Looking at how such ideological differences and mobilization asymmetries have impeded successful cooperation between different opposition groups thus remains questionable.

To begin with the differences in perspective and differences in theological interpretation may be genuine, but when a sect comes into existence on the basis of these theological differences or differences of interpretation, it soon becomes crisis and struggle for its control begins.

Ironically, the main problem for opposition coalition is to handle the sudden victory in the elections and allocate rewards.

Typically, opportunist politicians existed although they are criticized for being short-sighted.

They seek power for its own sake and tempted to do anything especially unethical things to advance their careers. It does not constitute any legitimate reason engaging in unethical conduct toward own colleagues and leaders.

PKR Nibong Tebal parliamentarian Tan Tee Beng is a typical example. He had been successfully launching scathing verbal attack on PKR deputy president Syed Husin and DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

He apologized to PKR deputy president Syed Husin Ali and retracted his remarks made against him after two-hour disciplinary committee meeting at the PKR headquarters in Kuala Lumpur but not DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. His remarks created a huge flutter and injure party image.

Although it is understandable for opportunist politician like him to gain political mileage from this incidence but it is highly unethical. The scathing verbal attack on Lim Guan Eng will ruin the unofficial cooperation forged by opposition parties.

It is questionable whether the relationship of opposition coalition is floundering? Can the good relationship sustain over the long period? Should DAP continue to cooperate with PKR especially the unscrupulous politicians for the continued survival?

Mukhriz : Bumiputra not forgotten by Najib's new economic model

The new economic model to be unveiled by Prime Minister Najib Razak next month will give due consideration to the Bumiputera.

Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Mukhriz Mahathir said this was in line with previous policies particularly the New Economic Policy (NEP).

"I have received many visits by Malay non-governmental organizations representing various sectors and industries that raise concern that the new economic model will be too open to the extent that it reduces opportunities for Bumiputera entrepreneurs," he said.

He said the government would certainly give due consideration to all quarters in whatever policy.

"The government will not launch a new policy that contravenes the constitution and this needs to be clearly explained so that the people especially the Bumiputera are not worried with what is to be launched by the prime minister," he added.

Mukhriz said the people should realize that even though several weaknesses existed in the implementation of NEP, it was proven to have successfully eradicated poverty and given equal opportunities to all walks of life regardless of race.

"The economic problem we are facing was triggered by external factors like the global financial and economic crises.

"So, I think it is not right for some quarters to say that the economic problem we are facing now was due to NEP," he said.

Anwar Ibrahim causes Pakatan Rakyat on brink of collapse

Sorry is no cure!

Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor Anwar Ibrahim admitted to have wrongly picked some candidates to be the party's parliamentary elected representatives in the last general election in 2008.

He was forced to issue an unprecedented apology statement following Bayan Baru MP and former Penang PKR Chairperson Zahrain Mohamed Hashim resigned from the party, citing disappointment over the leadership of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and the PKR struggle within the opposition pact.

In the present political scenario, it seems that it would not even have the favourable political climate toward opposition especially Anwar Ibarahim.

It is a very significant in the context of the political deadlock and recent longstanding tensions in the Pakatan Rakyat.

In this process, it also being seen and of finding in the eyes of political analyst as an adverse outcome as a result of his promoting a culture of party-hopping.

The current political scenario for Anwar Ibrahim is apparently centred on concepts of loyalty of PKR and the power struggling within the opposition pact, namely Malay dominated PAS and Chinese-based DAP.

This unleashed an ongoing yet remarkably silent political controversy and internal crisis which opposition coalition is being seen as weak and unable to handle.

Ironically, Anwar Ibrahim often is seen as the mastermind who led the Pakatan Rakyat. To admit publicly wrongly choosing shaky and unclean candidates who stabbed him in the back, this is the emerging signs that Pakatan Rakyat is on brink of collapse.

The big questions now are: What could cause a total political collapse of opposition? What is the catalyst that caused the political collapse?