The Sun on 9 April 2010 frontpaged the resignation of Senator Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun from all her party posts and government appointments as well as her Wanita MCA chief post. This was in keeping with her promise to do so in the event Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek got elected as the President of MCA.
The Sun headlined the story “Chew’s parting shot’.
Chew reportedly said “If we accept without question leaders who are not good role models, it will send a negative message to the people”
She further said “This is a direct affront to the system of democracy. This will cause the party to be rejected by the people”.
She will submit her resignation letters and will quit as senator and Deputy Minister. She will be on leave until April 28.
I am drawn to comment on this episode because of several issues.
First, Chew has to resign from the Wanita MCA leadership because that was what she promised to do. This is a reminder that a leader always has to represent his/her followers. When she promised to resign as MCA Wanita chief if Chua hot elected, was that the wishes of Wanita MCA members? Remember that she was not present when Wanita MCA held their AGM on 6 March 2010.
Second, why has she got to quit as senator, deputy minister and other government positions as well? I do not know if there are any connections between being a Wanita MCA chief and the deputy minister post. I thought that appointments to the ministerial positions are the prerogative of the prime minister.
Third, I thought that democracy calls for all participating parties to respect the wishes of the majority. So how does the decision of the majority be “a direct affront to the system of democracy”? Chew was one of those calling for fresh MCA elections to end the quagmire. Yet she is saying that the results are an affront to democracy? To me, the MCA members have made their choice. All MCA members have to respect that choice. Whether that choice will make it stronger and more acceptable to Malaysians in general will depend on how MCA members move on from here, and face that test in another forum.
Fourth, she is not resigning immediately. Being a conscientious leader, she would require some time to clear up some outstanding business before handing over to her successor. But she is also on leave until her resignation on 28 April. To me this means she is already not working. Yet technically she is still holding on to all her positions and appointments. I don’t want to speculate on the reasons why.
It would be normal for some to think of her actions as being noble. Datuk Yu Chok Tow who takes over the top Wanita MCA post remarked that Chew’s resignation was to defend the dignity of women and to safeguard the integrity of the party. “This practice (the resignations) is noteworthy and sets an example for all of us”.
I am inclined to grade the above remarks as purely political, sounds nice but devoid of any real meaning. Such are remarks that politicians are capable of saying.
But real leaders should be capable of uttering remarks that can inspire people to move on and drive people towards greater achievement. And because a leader is also representing his followers, he has to ensure that his remarks do represent the thinking of his followers, or that he has managed to influence his followers to accept his line of thinking.
A leader must also be able to understand issues, be able to adjust positions and have the strength and courage to remain focused on the mission. More importantly he must not fall prey to the temptations of short term gains.
Below are reactions of readers of New Straits Times and the Sun on the same subject.
An example to other leaders
2010/04/12
NST
DATIN Paduka Chew Mei Fun is one of those rare politicians whose words match her deeds.
One has to give her credit for fulfilling her promise to resign from her party and government posts if Datuk Seri Dr Chua Sok Lek won the MCA presidential post in the recently-concluded party elections.
The former Wanita MCA chief did not resign because of corrupt practices or involvement in scandals, but her conviction that one must honour one’s word regardless of the consequences.
If only other political leaders had such principles and kept their solemn promises to the electorate, our country’s democracy would be as good as that of other robust democratic countries where politicians who lie or are involved in scandals or corrupt practices resign voluntarily to take full responsibility for their actions.
HAMDAN IBRAHIM
Kuala Lumpur
Chew Mei Fun : Principles vital in those who lead
2010/04/13
HALIMAH MOHD SAID, Kuala Lumpur
letters@nst.com.my
DATIN Paduka Chew Mei Fun is to be admired and emulated for showing true integrity by honouring her word and sticking to her principles.
As the leader of Wanita MCA and deputy minister of women, family and community development, it was incumbent upon Chew to lead the nation’s women in fighting for their rights and upholding their dignity.
It was her duty to make a stand against Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek’s leadership as his act was disrespectful to the women who are wives and mothers.
Any act of abuse or betrayal by their husband and children would diminish their efforts in nurturing sound family values.
We need people like Chew to show us that the quest for power should not be the be-all and end-all of our mission in life.
Malaysians need to be reminded that there is more to nation building than political bickering and the tit-for-tat mentality that is pervading national politics.
Party hopping, infighting, slandering and back-stabbing are fast spreading as the devil-may-care attitude spreads to the other aspects of their lives.
It is high time leaders came forth to stand up for their principles and be the role models that Malaysians, especially the young, are desperately looking for.
It is indeed timely that a woman is showing the way as the men squabble for power and wealth. Chew must continue the struggle in MCA and among the Chinese, and this will in turn reverberate across the rest of society.
Resignation shows disrespect for voting
The Sun Updated: 09:46AM Tue, 13 Apr 2010
I REFER to Chew Mei Fun’s parting shot (April 9). Her resignation merely shows her disrespect for the outcome of the voting.
It is Chew’s right to have stated her stand against Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek before the MCA party elections.
It is also her right to quit her party and other related posts after Chua’s election as the party president, to honour her own words, values and beliefs.
However, the wisdom of her stand and action is debatable. Whether her determination, as said by her comrade, will be a model to politicians is also questionable.
While claiming that Chua’s election is a direct affront to the system of democracy, she ignores the very spirit of democracy which is to respect the outcome of voting, that Chua was elected by the party delegates. Her resignation based on Chua’s election merely shows her disrespect for the outcome of voting.
One of the duties and challenges to a true party leader is how one is to work effectively with the rest in the party’s inner power circle, in pursuing and achieving the party’s objectives.
The party’s delegates are not obliged to vote in anybody to the favour of anybody else. Instead, all those who are elected to their posts are expected to work together regardless of their personal differences.
Disrespecting the outcome of the voting merely shows that Chew is a weak political leader with poor judgment who lacks understanding in the fundamental principle and spirit of democracy, let alone be a model to others. Her resignation contains no laudable reasons.
Her resignation is her own misfortune. She causes and justifies it in her own rights. Unfortunately, as a politician, she makes a grave mistake in setting yet another bad example of not abiding by the rule of the game, and sending a wrong, instead of a holy, message to the public, particularly her Wanita wing.
Loh SH
Johor Baru
Comment by Mokhtar — April 15, 2010 @ 2:20 pm