Rafizi, Tee Keat SHOWDOWN shapes up: All eyes on ex-MCA chief's next move

Speculation is heating up over the future plans of Pandan MP Ong Tee Keat - whether he will continue to stay in Prime Minister Najib Razak's BN coalition, or become an independent Member of Parliament, or join the Pakatan Rakyat led by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Tee Keat, 56, was dropped from his MCA party's lineup of candidates for the coming general election. He is due to hold a press conference this morning, saying in a text message to Malaysia Chronicle that "among other issues, I might comment on this."

While Tee Keat has to put on a brave face on his current situation, he is in a quandary and his political future at a final crossroad. With the general election expected to be called in weeks, the doors are starting to close down on him.

Critics say he has no one to blame but himself for refusing to make a clear-cut decision sooner. Nonetheless, Tee Keat is not yet political history by any means. His next move is closely watched as it will also "seal the fate" of the MCA in the coming general elections.

Can Tee Keat burn his bridges?

Political watchers say there are several steps Tee Keat can take including appealing to Najib to step in and overturn Soi Lek's decision, which was announced on Wednesday.

However, even if Najib agreed, such a move would have major implications for the MCA, which has long been accused of being tied to the apron-strings of the PM's Umno party.

If Tee Keat were to insist on contesting as an Independent, his chances of success would be reduced as he would have to face the full might of BN's election machinery as well as the Pakatan Rakyat's.

It also means that Tee Keat would have to be sacked from the MCA and BN for flouting party decisions, bridges that he may not wish to burn after having been with the MCA since 1986.

Doors start to close

The door to Anwar's PKR party is also starting to close as it has been forced to make alternative plans due to Tee Keat's delay in making up his mind about whether to leave the BN or not.

"We welcome a good fight so long as it is done in the best interest of the rakyat (people). In that respect, we are prepared to face anyone including Chua Soi Lek in Pandan. Our campaign preparations take into account all factors including the possibility of Ong Tee Keat standing as an Independent," PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli told Malaysia Chronicle.

Rafizi, who made his name by exposing high-level Umno corruption, is believed to be the PKR's candidate for Pandan, an urban constituency held by Tee Keat since 2004.

Although Anwar has not confirmed his candidacy, the fast-rising Rafizi is rated by political watchers as having the best chances of winning the seat, whether in a direct fight with Tee Keat or in a three-cornered match that includes the new MCA candidate.

Backbiting Soi Lek may end up the biggest loser

While talk about Tee Keat's future in the BN, following a major falling-out with Chua Soi Lek, has been a hot topic for months now, the news he had been dropped was still a shock to many who had expected some form of intervention from Najib.

Tee Keat is after all a former MCA president and Soi Lek's immediate predecessor. Moreover, not only does Tee Keat have a better image and political reputation than Soi Lek, who has been marred by a sex scandal, such an open snub would only increase the growing sense of lack of direction in the MCA, the Chinese-based party that Najib depends on for bringing in the non-Malay vote.

But Soi Lek is apparently unable to let bygones be bygones, and for this, may end up the biggest loser. Soi Lek's insistence in 'chasing out' Tee Keat can only increase his already high unpopularity with the Chinese community.

Insisting that Tee Keat did not have support from "his own division", Soi Lek had last night announced plans to replace him with 39-year-old lawyer Gary Lim.

“Ong's name is not in the list prepared by the division and I am dependent on the list prepared by the division,” Soi Lek was reported as saying by party newspaper The Star.

“Gary is a new face and he does not have any baggage. All politicians have enemies and over time you accumulate more."

Malaysia Chronicle