KUALA LUMPUR, 5 Nov 2009: MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat seems to be maintaining a silent approach as the party’s internal crisis drags on.
Endless questions about the party from journalists covering his visit to the Bangsar LRT Station in his capacity as the Transport Minister today received no response at all.
“Today, I only entertain questions on transportation. At this station, I don’t see any MCA branch,” he said when asked about Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai‘s intention to challenge the Registrar of Societies (ROS)’s decision on Tuesday that reinstated Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek as the MCA deputy president.
Ong also refused to comment on a report in a Chinese daily that five members of the MCA disciplinary committee, including its chairperson Ng Cheng Kiat, planned to resign citing unhappiness with the top leadership.
“If you (journalist) came for that, then I’m sorry. The thing is that they are rumours, hearsay…why allow all this to dominate our political scene?
“Sometimes, when proper statements are made, people are not happy. They don’t respond. But there is a market for hearsay.
“It’s better for me to do the work (that) the people are hoping for,” he added.
In PUTRAJAYA, Liow, who is MCA vice-president, said he was leaving it to his lawyer to determine the next course of action regarding his intention to challenge the ROS’s decision.
“I have already instructed my lawyer to study the matter,” he told reporters after launching the Health Ministry’s Innovation Day.
According to the ROS, there was no vacancy for the post as the decision of the 10 Oct 2009 MCA extraordinary general meeting (EGM) did not fulfill the two-third majority required under the party constitution to remove Dr Chua as the deputy president.
Liow, who was appointed as deputy president by the MCA central committee on
15 Oct when the post was considered vacant, expressed his dissatisfaction and claimed that the ROS decision breached the MCA constitution. He threatened to take the matter to court.
On the statement by the MCA secretary-general, Datuk Wong Foon Meng, that another EGM would not be convened as requested by 16 members of the central committee last week to pave the way for fresh party elections, Liow said they had the right to call for another EGM.
“So, as the secretary-general and also as a party official, they have to respect the constitution of the party. Whatever right provided under the constitution they should respect that right,” he said. — Bernama
Perakain says
MCA is no longer relevant to the Chinese Malaysians.
The less said about it, the better!