The morality factor in elections

KUALA LUMPUR: Morality may be one of the most important criteria for the more than 2,000 MCA delegates in electing the party's top national leaders on Oct 18.

The political undercurrents seem to indicate that the party, with about one million members, is divided on the issue.

The first salvo on the morality issue was fired by MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat, who is also eyeing the top party post.

Although the Transport Minister did not name anyone, it was obvious that he was referring to former vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, whose reputation was tarnished after a sex video of him was widely circulated towards the end of 2007 and forced him to resign from all party and government positions.

Ong said in his blog on Saturday that leaders hoping for a political comeback could not be expected to have a clean slate by merely apologising for their wrongdoings and wiping them away just like that.

Dr Chua, the former Health Minister, had said that the issue of morality should not be used as a yardstick so long as a leader could perform his duties effectively and this view had won the support of Wanita MCA chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen.

While the morality issue continues to be played out with ever increasing comments and opinions in the media and on the Internet, some party members seem to have made up their minds on their choice.

MCA veteran Datuk Yap Pian Hon felt that the moral standing of a leader does have a bearing on the person's leadership, as “it is important for him or her to be free of any political blackmail to speak up effectively for the community.

“You, as a leader, cannot be held to ransom by your opponents. How are you going to talk about the community's affairs if you lack moral standing?” he asked.

An MCA leader from Perlis, Loh Yoon Foo, echoed Yap's call, saying that morally tainted leaders would ultimately become a liability to the MCA and also the Barisan Nasional.

Not everyone agrees with this stand: former MCA secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh said the MCA assembly is not about to elect a saint but an effective party leader.

“We are not electing a saint, so why so much fuss about the moral background of a person?” he asked.

Datuk Thean Bok, MCA Puchong division vice-chairman, believes that the issue of morality was subjective and that it would not be used as a yardstick by delegates in picking national leaders. – Bernama

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