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Ka Ting should allow Kong Choy to be Acting MCA President until Tee Kiat’s serious allegation of “black gold politics” in MCA and his own police report against poison-pen letter linking him with triads have been thoroughly investigated Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang (Petaling Jaya,  Saturday):   The MCA leadership changes yesterday are  normally an internal MCA matter, except that the manner of the “resolution” of the power struggle between the MCA A and B teams had demonstrated that they were  never internal MCA affairs.  Twenty-four hours before the MCA Central Committee meeting yesterday,  the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, in his comments after the UMNO Supreme Council meeting, expressed his confidence that the MCA situation would certainly improve with the resignation of Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong as MCA President and Datuk Seri Lim Ah Lek as  MCA deputy president – a clear proof that their resignations were  already set and sealed  before any meeting by the MCA Central Committee.    If further proofs are needed about the external factor in determining the  MCA leadership changes,   there were the various   meetings Mahathir had with both Ling and Lim leading to their simultaneous resignations, as well as with  their designated successors, Ka Ting and Kong Choy before the MCA Central Committee meeting yesterday – not to mention the spectacle of the Health Minister and MCA Vice President, Datuk Chua Jui Meng, cutting short his attendance of the World Health Organisation Assembly in Geneva and rushing off  to Putrajaya to meet Mahathir after touching down at the KLIA before attending the MCA Central Committee meeting.  When the MCA leadership changes have to be orchestrated by “Big Brother”, it is another evidence of the relentless  degradation and marginalization of the role and status of MCA in the Barisan Nasional, whether in Cabinet or outside.  Is this the reason why no MCA Minister, Deputy Minister, Parliamentary Secretary or MP, whether A or B team, had spoken up in Cabinet or outside against the injustices of this year’s university student intake   in continuing to use an entrance selection system based on  “ meritocracy” only  in  name but not in substance?  The biggest loser in the  MCA leadership changes yesterday is Chua Jui Meng followed by MCA Youth leader Datuk  Ong Tee Kiat.  Their personal setbacks however are secondary to the larger public interest issues which have been thrown up in the MCA power struggle, which should not be swept under the carpet and forgotten – in particular Tee Kiat’s  serious allegation of “black gold politics” in MCA and Ka Ting’s police report about a “poison pen letter” linking him to triad politics.  When Tee Kiat made the serious allegation of “black gold” politics, later submitting  two names to the then Acting Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, very few  believed that he was targetting Liong Sik. Is Tee Kiat standing by his allegation of “black gold” politics in MCA with the  MCA leadership changes yesterday or has his allegation ceased to exist?  In the public interest, Ka Ting should allow Kong Choy to be Acting MCA President until Tee Kiat’s serious allegation of “black gold politics” in MCA and his own police report against poison-pen letter linking him with triads have been thoroughly investigated. (24/5/2003) * Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman