Almost everyone knows that boh-boh cha-cha is a kind of dessert very popular among Malaysians. Originated by the nonyas, boh-boh cha-cha is neither a soup nor a gruel. It is a thickish liquid concoction of a mixture of ingredients, put together to a boil, and consumed with just the right amount of sugar and coconut milk. In its original form, boh-boh cha-cha had yam, sweet potato, and a tad of sago. The best boh-boh cha-cha, perfected by housewives through months of ‘research and development’ is the result of the correct amount of each of its ingredients, boiled to precisely the correct length of time. Many people today still talk about who they have in mind as the makers of the best boh-boh cha-cha in town.

Unfortunately, boh-boh cha-cha has become commercialized these days (with everything else), and the off-the-shelf boh-boh cha-cha sold at food courts is nothing like the ones made by our aunties.

The latest version of boh-boh cha-cha among Malaysian Chinese today must be Ong-Ong Chua-Chua. This is also neither a soup nor a gruel. It is also not a dessert of the usual kind. It is instead, the main course for the up-coming battle for the Presidential elections for the MCA (Malaysian Chinese Association) party at the end of the year. Two Ongs and two Chuas appeared to be the top four horses in the race to the finish.

Of the four, Ong Tee Keat is the most senior in terms of party hierarchy. Nicknamed ‘The Lone Ranger’, this Ong is outspoken and eloquent, and he is seen as one who would speak up for the Chinese, and not be just an apple polisher. This would be his plus point at a time when the MCA is still reeling from the bashing it received on 8 March, a punishment for not speaking up.

The other Ong is Ka Chuan, who is not as charismatic as Tee Keat. Ka Chuan’s main disadvantage is that he is the elder brother of the current president, and voters may not want to see two brothers helming the party one after the other in succession. Ka Chuan would sense this, and may run as Tee Keat’s running mate rather than competitor.

Challenging them for leadership positions would certainly be the two Chuas, Soi Lek and Jui Meng. Although not in any government positions at the moment, both are seasoned politicians, both are from Johore, both are ‘fighters’ and both still command much grassroot support. The biggest thing they have in common, however, is not what we just mentioned, but a dislike of the present leadership down to their socks.

That the two Chuas will challenge the two Ongs is a dead certainty. There are 3 possible outcomes:

(a) one Ong and one Chua get into the party leadership,

(b) both Ongs get in and both Chuas lose, and

(c) both Ongs lose and both Chuas get in. Ong-Ong Chua-Chua, what a dish!

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