JOHOR BARU: The MCA needs to wake up, strengthen itself and have innovative ideas for it to stay relevant, its former president Tan Sri Dr Chua Soi Lek said.
He said the party also needed to stop bickering about its former leaders.
Dr Chua said any political leader should be embarrassed if party members started taking swipes at former leaders during official events.
He did not mince his words when he claimed that this happened during a formal unity dinner organised by MCA members from five divisions in Sekijang in Segamat here.
He said the so-called unity event turned into "an embarrassing and pathetic show".
"An MCA party member took centre stage in his bid to lobby for high-ranking positions in MCA's upcoming party elections in September by tarnishing my reputation.
"To butter up the president, the MCA member found it necessary to make false accusations about me, and to my amazement, the president did not attempt to stop it," he said.
Dr Chua said the incident took place about two weeks ago during a dinner organised by MCA themed as an "Unity Dinner", in the presence of MCA president Datuk Wee Ka Siong and other distinguished MCA members, which eventually escalated into a brawl with chairs thrown and injuries reported.
Dr Chua was not present at the unity dinner but was informed of the situation by party members who witnessed the incident.
"MCA is at a very low point politically… its president should realise that MCA has lost its traditional seats in two general elections consecutively…there is no way if candidates were nominated in this election (state election) they would get votes.
"So, its high time for the party to strengthen within and move forward with measures and actions that would make MCA relevant…instead of creating unnecessary commotion and unpleasantness within members," he said
The NST has reached out to Wee for comments but he did not return the calls nor replied to the Whatsapp message sent.
