KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA grassroots remain unconvinced that party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and his former deputy, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, have truly reconciled.
While thankful the two wish to wage peace from now on, there are niggling doubts over how solid the good intentions are given the acrimony of their year-long squabble that almost brought the party to its knees.
They are also miffed that the two men refused to mend their differences earlier, forcing the party to hold a costly RM500,000 extraordinary general meeting to pull the party out of the crisis.
The EGM on Oct 10 saw both leaders emerging losers.
Petaling Jaya Selatan division leader Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai, for one, is doubtful that the truce will be permanent.
"I'm not sure whether this will last. I hope they are sincere in working together. The most important thing right now is for them to make the party their top priority."
Hulu Selangor division leader Wong Koon Mun has his doubts too.
"Members are suspicious and are asking how the two could all of a sudden put aside their feud.
"We do not know how sincere or genuine their actions are, although I hope they can remain united -- at least, until the party polls in 2011."
A Penang divisional leader, who did not want to be named, said: "They can't even stand each other and now, suddenly, they are willing to start all over again without any animosity? I think this reconciliation is more for personal interests than party interests."
Former secretary-general and Gopeng division chief Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh acknowledged that the rank and file were worried that the truce would not last.
He said some members had complained of being betrayed as the truce meant the two men had totally ignored the Oct 10 EGM results.
"There's definitely worry among members ... the grassroots are just hoping they are sincere and serious this time around," he said, adding that the burden was on Ong and Dr Chua to prove that they were serious in uniting the party.
Selangor Youth chief Dr Kow Cheong Wei said the onus was now on both leaders to explain what led to their bad blood and subsequent truce.
"They also have to apologise to all members for their actions."
Party sources said the outcome of the EGM became the catalyst for Ong and Dr Chua to mend their differences.
While it was unclear who reached out to whom, both leaders are said to have had two meetings at a hotel in the Klang Valley to sort out their differences.
The first meeting took place last Sunday night, while the other was on Tuesday night. The one-on-one meeting lasted about two hours each.
A party insider said: "The EGM results were a wake-up call for both. They saw the need to work together. They've realised their feud left a bitter taste in the mouth."
There were attempts in the past by mediators to mend the fences, but they all met with failure.
On Thursday, Ong and Dr Chua decided to bury the hatchet after agreeing on a greater unity plan that envisaged everyone in the party working together as a team.
Barisan Nasional president Datuk Seri Najib Razak is said to support the plan.
No comments:
Post a Comment