The Rise Of Phantom Branches In The MCA

The I-shall-resign-I-shall-not-resign MCA president, Dato' Seri Ling Liong Sik, as his I-shall-resign-I-shall-not-resign predecessors, is forced to look into MCA party allegations of phantom voters. These phantom voters, like Mayor Daley's constituents in Chicago, long reside in the graveyards of the division in question. And until party organisation was reformed, just one division -- the undivided Petaling Jaya division -- sent more delegates to the MCA annual meetings than five states. The resolution of that brought him into power as MCA president. The Nanyang Press fiasco now lands Dr Ling in an invidious spot. He forced the sale through, against much opposition, puts the MCA's finances at risk, but still insist he must be obeyed because the Prime Minister wants the MCA rank-and-file to accept him as their leader, however unpopular he is.

The party conference gave Dr Ling the pyrrhic victory he wanted for buying the Nanyang Press. Now he finds all unravels before his eyes, the victory a synonym for defeat. Those who opposed the Nanyang Press takeover change tack, looking to party problems than the larger Nanyang Press takeover. The first they target is Petaling jaya Utara, others are in the cards, one after another, so that MCA headquarters must spend their time proving in how they conduct the party. New branches, typically, must be approved by the Presidential Council, but the amnesiac president cannot remember if they were. He takes the high moral ground: "If there are such problems, then they will have to be rectified or maybe even cancel them (the branches) ... let's do everything according to the procedures." As he would not follow procedure when the Nanyang Press purchase came up for discussion: It was then a simple matter of if you did not approve, then you are a traitor to the party.

Selangor MCA has begun investigations, and Dr Ling insists the investigating team are composed of "mature and reasonable people". And then his explanation: In any case, 20 branched formed in a year is unusual because it had been done in other divisions. The logic, in National Front doublespeak, is unassailable: there is nothing wrong with so many branches formed in one division because other branches have done so too. This was his response to 22 new branches formed in Petaling Jaya Utara division, of which only 17 approved by the presidential council, but all allegedly unconstitutional. What makes Dr Ling's position insecure is this call for an extraordinary general meeting to discuss the issue in the division, with the clear threat that there could well be others. What is remarkable about these 20 branches is that it has no members and who the chairmen are. The EGM on 6 September 01 is to pass a vote of no-confidence against the division chaiman, Dr Wong Sai Hon. He has promised he would release the details his detractors wants "in due time".

But in Dr Ling's view, this is not serious, only a few branches are involved. It was however clearly important and serious enough for news of it to be faxed to him in Yemen, where he was with the Prime Minister. In any case, Dr Ling "don't want to overreact to these issues". Besides, "if 160 out of 167 divisions are like that, then it is a very, very serious problem. But at this stage, we can quickly step in to rectify it." So, if only 32 divisions have this problem of phantom branches and members, it could easily be resolved. In any case, it is safe to assume that 160 branches could not possibly have this problem. So, the problem must be minor indeed. We should let Dr Ling to slumber in his own fantasies. After all, he has many to consider: the Nanyang Press fiasco is one that would enhance his prestige; that he needs to continue as president of MCA to save the Chinese community from certain disaster; that the Star newspaper and its putative owner enjoys throwing good money after bad to right the bleeding that goes on in the Nanyang Press group.

M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@mgg.pc.my