'The bridge that linked the parties' By Chow Kum Hor democratic way. He managed to resolve the MCA's [email protected],my problem in an amicable way," said Lee, who went on to be the party's deputy president and Labour Minis- KUALA LUMPUR: Every year, MCA leaders cele- ter. Without Ghafar, Lee said, the crisis would have brated Tun Abdul Ghafar Baba's birthday as faith- dragged on. fully as they do the party's anniversary. Wang Choon Wing, a former Federal Territory This was in recognition of Ghafar's services to the MCA organising secretary, said many members party. Ghafar had stepped in to restore order in the were thankful for Ghafar's involvement in resolving MCA when it suff ered a crisis in 1985. the stalemate. "He was a fair and just man," said former MCA "He was very nice. He would look at things objec- president Tan Koon Swan. tively. Although I was a junior leader then, I under- "He was given a job (to resolve the MCA crisis) and stood how important it was for the problem to be he did it well." quickly resolved," said Wang, the former national Tan was heading a faction that was on a collision organising secretary. course with another led by then acting president Every year, a delegation of current and past lead- Datuk Neo Yee Pan. ers would visit Ghafar on his birthday. On Feb 18 this Tan's faction was not happy about "phantom year, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting cele- members" in the party, among other things. The sit- brated Ghafar's 81st birthday in the intensive care uation got out of hand with public name-calling, re- unit of a private medical centre. sulting in the party's first extraordinary general "Tun Ghafar is an example of a statesman who meeting. was close to the people and made numerous contri- The then Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mo- butions to unite the multiracial community in the hamad instructed Ghafar, who was the BN secre- country," said Ong. tary-general, to sort out the party's problems. "His contributions to MCA were enormous and the Tan Sri Lee Kim Sai, who was then Youth head, re- party is very grateful for the role he played in stabil- membered how Ghafar would calmly listen to both ising the party. factions. Former MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik said: "He carried out the party election in a fair and "We have never forgotten his great deeds for the MCA. He was also the bridge between Umno and MCA.'' A file picture of Ghafar with Tan and Neo (centre) after the MCA crisis settlement. .