Chua is new MCA President, Liow Deputy President

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).

King: stern actions against new media for slander, lies and distortion of facts

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.

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.

“At the same time, the authorities must take stern actions against those involved,” he said in his Royal Address at the opening of the third session of the 12th Parliament.

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

Can Ong Ka Ting make a complete political comeback?

Do you think that former MCA President Ong Ka Ting can save MCA?

Former MCA deputy president Lim Ah Lek said former MCA President Ong Ka Ting is the only one that can save the MCA from disaster.

He said, Ka Ting's leadership is needed to reunite leaders and grassroots members and to “restore democracy and rule of law within the party”. He said the three existing leaders - Tee Keat, Chua and Liow - have proven their inability to unite the party following the EGM.

He also lambasted both Tee Keat and Chua for not respecting the decisions of the EGM, which is the party's highest decision-making body.

Ong Ka Ting is the former protégé of Lim's bitter rival, ex-party president Ling Liong Sik. Ling and Lim were both engaged in a protracted power struggle in MCA 10 years ago, which saw the party splitting into two factions - Team A led Ling and Team B led by Lim.

The Team A-team B rivalry reached breaking point when MCA took over two Chinese newspapers, a move opposed by Team B and many within the Chinese community.

Eventually, then premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad weighed in and brokered a peace deal which saw both Ling and Lim stepping down in 2003 to be replaced by their respective protégés – Ong Ka Ting and Chan Kong Choy.

Over the past few days, close to 33 MCA divisions have urged Ong Ka Ting to make a political comeback. Former foes - Team A and Team B - joining forces to form a formidable fourth faction in the embattled party.

The coming together of Team A and Team B will give Ka Ting and his elder brother, Ka Chuan, more political leverage to deal with the other three factions led respectively by MCA chief Ong Tee Keat, deputy chief Dr Chua Soi Lek and Vice-president Liow Tiong Lai.

One solution is the much speculated 'Chua-Liow-Ong brothers' peace formula which could overcome the leadership impasse without the party having to go through a bitter contest.

The questions arise: Can Ong Ka Ting make a complete political comeback? Do you really think that he can save MCA?

PM: Local gov't polls cause too much politicking

Local government polls cause too much politicking and too much money wasted.

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.

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

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

Party-hopping is the nature of PKR political opportunists

In politics, the opposition comprises more political parties to oppose and wrest power from ruling parties.

The opposition should emerge as a viable alternative to the ruling parties. More importantly, the new political culture and new quality will surely result in a new victory.

The falling popularity, the declining economy and growing public dissatisfaction can give historic opportunity to the opposition.

Undeniably, the current political landscape is definitely not favorable to opposition.

Looking at the opposition hits by spate of defections and in-fighting, one can conclude that opposition has no chance to wrest power from ruling parties right now.

The defection of Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Mohd Hashim, Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng and Bagan Serai MP Mohsein Samsuri should mark the end of the wresting power by opposition.

Earlier, 3 state assembly persons from the opposition coalition in the Perak State Legislative Assembly have defected from their respective parties. 2 of them defected from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) while the third left the Democratic Action Party (DAP).

Should PKR MPs Wee Choo Kheong and Zulkifli Nordin, whom were absent from the ‘pledge of loyalty’ gathering, stirring speculation that they, too, defect the party, it will further worsen the political stability of the opposition.

There is no doubt that the possible defection of more PKR MP will occur and further worsen PKR's political crisis and relevancy.

Notwithstanding the fact that the unprincipled PKR politicians are political frogs, it is relatively clear that opposition parties have no hope of wresting power from the ruling BN.