theSun | FRIDAY JULY 17 2009
news without borders
‘Porn video clip’
returns to haunt Chua
THE saga of a secretly-filmed
pornographic video clip which led
to the resignation of Datuk Seri Dr
Chua Soi Lek from the cabinet in
2007 has returned to haunt him.
Chua (pix), who is MCA
deputy president, is to
answer to the party’s
disciplinary commit-
tee (DC) on Aug 4 on
charges of tarnishing
the party’s image.
And the former health
minister is said to be
currently in overdrive,
manoeuvring within
the Barisan Nasional
leadership to suppress a
show-cause letter issued to
him by the DC on July 1.
After all, he was in May ap-
pointed BN chief coordinator for
Pakatan Rakyat-held states. It’s
only natural to expect Chua, who
made a political comeback in MCA
elections last October, to use what-
ever means to defend his standing
in both the MCA and the BN.
But in so doing, party insiders
say Chua has generated much dis-
cord among grassroots and party
leaders as his actions are seen as
“inviting outsiders” to interfere in
the MCA’s affairs.
Chua’s supporters accuse
party president Datuk Seri
Ong Tee Keat of being
behind the DC’s actions.
Ong’s supporters, in
turn, say Chua reads too
much into the matter.
According to the
MCA constitution, the
DC operates independ-
ently without having to
inform the leadership or
party president of its work.
Chinese newspapers had inac-
curately reported that Chua had
been issued a warning letter, while
his supporters say the DC will take
stern action such as suspending
him. An insider said: “Nothing of
the sort … suspension? There is
no decision yet.”
The DC is only now getting down
analysis
by Ng Kee Seng
to work after its members were
appointed in March. It is looking
into cases lodged by party members
last year, one of which is a com-
plaint against Chua for tarnishing
the party’s image. No decision was
made by a previous committee
which postponed hearing all cases
until after the October elections.
The DC is also investigating the
cases of former Penang MCA dep-
uty liaison chief Datuk Lau Chiek
Tuan, Negri Sembilan Wanita chief
Datuk Paduka Lee Pit Chern and
Pulai MCA chief Low Teh Hian.
Lee caused a stir earlier this year
for her remarks about Hainanese
for which she has since apologised.
She also took a swipe at Ong for
“washing dirty linen in public”,
likening him to Superman wearing
his underpants on the outside.
Insiders say Chua has found
his second wind, so to speak, and
mustered the support of both anti-
Ong politicians and businessmen
to try to topple the president.
However, associates close to the
president say he is no pushover
and is ready to go all out to fight
Chua and his “outsiders” trying
to interfere in the party’s internal
affairs. They say he will go all the
way to defend the integrity and
“sovereignty” of a Chinese party.
So is the recently elected MCA
leadership under siege and head-
ing for another crisis?
It is perplexing that a politician
like Chua, who is still under police
probe and had threatened to join
the opposition Pakatan Rakyat, is
able to sustain his political game
plan in the BN.
Selangor CID chief SAC II Has-
nan Hassan had confirmed that
Chua was being investigated for
unnatural sex under Section 377A
of the Penal Code. It appears the
investigation papers will gather
dust while the MCA’s Chinese
“political” opera unfolds.
Party members are watch-
ing for the political downside of
developments between Ong and
Chua. Whatever the outcome, the
power equation in the MCA will
be affected when the rift between
Ong and Chua widens.
The MCA could face another
ugly and prolonged struggle for
control of the top leadership that
could eventually lead to a split in
the party.
7
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