Tee Keat: Reversing government posts snub a vote against MCA leaders: KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Reversing the MCA’s earlier decision to reject all government posts is tantamount to a vote of no-confidence against the party’s leaders in today’s extraordinary general meeting (EGM), said Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat. The former MCA president noted that the central delegates were elected on September 22, whereas the election of MCA’s president, deputy president and central committee will be held later on December 21 ― the first time in its history that both elections were not held simultaneously. “If the new delegates reverse the old decision and adopt the resolution, that’s tantamount to casting a vote of no confidence against the current batch of leaders,” Ong told The Malay Mail Online in an exclusive interview recently. “In any democracy, it’s tantamount to being booted out. Never in the history of MCA has the leadership staggered the party elections,” added the MCA central delegate. Aside from the motion to revoke the MCA’s earlier decision to remain absent in government, the EGM today that will be attended by some 2,400 delegates also includes a move to censure party deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai. The motion was revealed last week by MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, during which he attacked Liow “weak”, “indecisive”, and “not a fighter”. He had then claimed the move to reprimand Liow was solely based on his performance as the party’s election director, and that it was nothing “personal”. Dr Chua previously pledged to step down as president when MCA holds its elections next month, but recent remarks such as him saying he could not leave the party in Liow’s hands suggest that he may renege. The MCA passed a resolution at its annual general meeting (AGM) last year to refuse government posts should it perform worse in Election 2013 than in the previous general election. The Barisan Nasional (BN) Chinese party later recorded its worst electoral performance in history, winning just seven federal and 11 state seats in the 13th general election, earning its moniker as the “7-11 party”. Ong said that the resolution to censure Liow, who is running for presidency in the upcoming party polls, was also another unprecedented move in MCA’s history. “Never have I ever seen where there had been any AGM or EGM singling out any single individual, leader, or member for censure. Never before, no matter how controversial,” said the former transport minister. “All along, I’ve been under the impression they embrace each other. In January, at public occasions, while Chua and Liow were present at party functions, they were heaping praise on each other,” he added. Liow had criticised Dr Chua’s move to convene the EGM to revoke the self-imposed ban on government posts, triggering a war of words between the two camps, with the latter calling his deputy “indecisive” and “weak”. Ong, who was deposed by Dr Chua in 2010, declined to comment on the fight between Liow and Dr Chua, saying that he did not want to be seen as “taking sides”. He said, however, that he was “taken aback” when the MCA initially announced its decision to refuse government posts after the May 5 general polls. “As MCA candidates, you stand on the ticket of BN. In elections, you contest as a BN candidate. Each seat is multi-racial,” said Ong. “Even today, those elected representatives of MCA, you represent all races. How can you draw a line between so-called Chinese and non-Chinese votes? BN is a coalition. “We talk about collective responsibility in doing well or doing badly,” he added. dlvr.it/49QQCz
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 04:52:36 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015