BY JAHABAR SADIQ
EDITOR
APRIL 08, 2013
The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 — Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek was asked to face Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah but the MCA president declined the offer, leaving Barisan Nasional (BN) to consider its choices for the hottest battle in Umno’s home state, say ruling coalition sources.

The Malaysian Insider understands the MCA is pushing for caretaker Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman to fight the DAP adviser but an unsettled Malay ground and pro-opposition Chinese voters could scuttle those plans.

“Some in the BN war room thought it would be a titanic fight and that Dr Chua is strong enough to face Kit but the MCA president said no,” a BN source told The Malaysian Insider, referring to the veteran opposition leader by his moniker Kit.

“Now other choices are being considered as the final list must be ready by Tuesday,” the source added.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) announced last month that Lim was to run in Gelang Patah, and spearhead the opposition pact’s push to pick up more federal seats in Johor. Dr Chua was then dared by the DAP to face Lim but the MCA president declined the challenge last week.

The MCA had earlier named local division leader Jason Teoh to run in the federal seat, won by Johor Wanita MCA chief and deputy national vice-chairman Tan Ah Eng in Election 2008 when she retained the seat by defeating PKR’s Zaliha Mustafa by 8,851 votes.

Lim’s political arch-foe, Malaysia’s longest-serving Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, described Lim’s move from Ipoh Timor “ridiculous”, calling BN members to bury the DAP adviser’s political career and said the local Chinese would not give support.

Lim then asked Dr Mahathir to run against him but was turned down. Since then, MCA-controlled newspaper The Star has been reporting that Ghani was popular with the electorate and would be ideal to face the veteran DAP leader.

However, it is learnt that BN has not included the caretaker Johor mentri besar in its candidate list due to a pushback from the local Malay community upset with rising costs and being elbowed out of the fast-developing and pricy Iskandar Malaysia economic corridor.

The 67-year-old Umno leader has been a four-term MB but it is understood that BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants to put in younger and “winnable” candidates to helm the Umno home state.

“Najib has promised at least 40 per cent new faces and he wants those who are capable of pushing Iskandar Malaysia even higher,” said an Umno source, confirming that Ghani’s name is not on any list.

He cited Ghani’s frosty ties with the Johor palace as one of the main reasons that the state leader is being dropped, adding: “That’s why he is free to offer himself for Gelang Patah because there is no seat for him.”

It is understood that caretaker Higher Education Minister Datuk Mohamed Khaled Nordin and UDA Holdings chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed are in a short list to replace Ghani as Johor MB if BN keeps the southern state.

“BN needs to put someone strong there as every parliamentary seat is crucial in this election. But Dr Chua doesn’t want and Ghani is willing but there are issues that could cut his support,” the Umno source said.

“We’ll find out soon enough but it won’t be a titanic fight now,” he added.

BN sources say the ruling coalition is confident of regaining its two-thirds majority in Parliament lost in 2008, predicting it can win up to 160 seats in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat.

However, coalition leaders have warned against complacency against PR which is battling every seat to capture Putrajaya. PR has also expressed confidence that it can win at least 125 federal seats to form the government.

Both coalitions have already issued centrist-themed manifestos to convince the 13.3 million eligible voters to support them in the general election which will be announced later this week after Parliament and the state assemblies were dissolved last week.