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

Liow's faction wants fresh polls at CC level within 60 days

KUALA LUMPUR, Sat: The MCA special briefing today, unanimously passed a declaration to push for fresh polls at the Central Committee (CC) level.

In 'Declaration 1128', held in conjunction with today's date, some 1,600 representatives, including party members who attended the briefing organised by vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai's faction, are adamant that the polls be conducted within 60 days from today.

Liow said that this agenda (pushing for fresh polls) would now be his prime focus.

He also hoped that party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat would stick to the consensus and the roadmap to hold fresh polls as soon as possible.

"I wish to stress here that the voice of the delegates and members who attended today's briefing is strong and clear (in urging for party elections to be held as soon as possible).

"I hope the party's top leadership will listen to the voice of the grassroots, and fresh elections will be held soon," he told reporters at a news conference after the two-hour session at Wisma MCA here. - Bernama

MCA special briefing not necessary: Fong

KUALA LUMPUR,Fri: Former MCA vice president Datuk Seri Fong Chan Onn welcomed the decision to call off tomorrow's Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), but felt the special briefing session was not necessary.

"Upon canceling the EGM, the main thing now is for the leaders to work towards the new election and the briefing tomorrow is not necessary. Let the delegates decide during the election," said Fong, who is party central delegate, when contacted by Bernama today.

Yesterday, Wong Nai Chee, one of the key requisitionists for the EGM pushed by vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai's faction, had announced that the EGM would be replaced by a special briefing session for delegates after reaching a consensus with the party's top two leaders on a fresh election for the Central Committee (CC).

Meanwhile, MCA Central Committee member, Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai told Bernama that he was happy to see the conflicting factions reaching a consensus on having fresh polls.

"This is a democratic process that can resolve the party''s problem," he said.
Lim also said that he would not be attending the special briefing tomorrow. - Bernama

Tee Keat’s political secretary quits

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — Simon Lim, a top aide to MCA president and Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, has resigned after the MCA central committee (CC) meeting on Wednesday.

Lim, the political secretary to Ong, said he personally tendered his resignation letter, dated Nov 18, to Ong with a copy to the prime minister.

"I personally handed it to him at his office at the Ministry of Transport after the CC meeting. My resignation will take effect on Dec 1," he told Bernama today.

Citing personal reasons for his decision, Lim said he wanted to return to his law practice where he was once a senior partner in the law firm, Simon and Co.

"Actually I had planned to go back to my law practice after the MCA Extraordianry General Meeting (EGM) that day (Oct 10). Now I think it is the best time to do that," he said.

However, he declined to say whether his resignation was connected with speculation that he disagreed with Ong over the latter's decision to revamp the MCA presidential council recently.

Apart from being Ong's political secretary, Lim is also the MCA Special Task Force Bureau head.