MCA president dismisses the '1128 Declaration' mooted by Liow's faction

KUALA LUMPUR, Sun: MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has dismissed the 1128 Declaration mooted yesterday by supporters of MCA vice president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai in wanting fresh party polls to be held within 60 days.

Ong said any call for a fresh election must follow the party's constitution and be referred to MCA's central committee (CC).

"What is important is the constitutional provisions must be followed," he told reporters after attending an Aidiladha celebration in his parliamentary constituency of Pandan here today.

"If we love democracy in MCA, all quarters have to respect the due process.The wishes of the majority of the CC members must be respected.

The majority cannot bow down to the minority. That is not how a democratic party is run," said Ong, who is also Transport Minister.

As to the party's annual general meeting scheduled for Dec 5, he said any request for a postponement must be referred to the CC and that to his knowledge the Dec 5 date had not changed.

On the contention by Liow's faction that there was no need for MCA's Youth and Wanita wings to also hold fresh polls, Ong said grass root members felt otherwise and that they wanted the party constitution to be followed.

He also claimed that while he was in London recently, all kinds of slander were spread about him possibly because certain people were uneasy that he wanted wrongdoings in the Port Klang Free Zone controversy to be investigated. He added that he would not waver from doing what was right.

MCA has been wracked by a leadership crisis because of factionalism. Thereare three factions in the party, the president's, the deputy president's and Liow's, which wants a quick election to be held to resolve the crisis.

Deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has said the earliest polls could be held would be in March. -- BERNAMA