MCA today promised to speed up its Greater Unity Plan and to set up a special taskforce to study the best mechanism for direct election of the party's central leadership.

These decisions were made at a grassroots dialogue in Kuala Lumpur this morning.

mca national division briefing 151109 Deputy president Dr Chua Soi Lek said the four-hour meeting was attended by representatives from 155 of the 191 divisions and the 620 members present accounted for 70 percent of the total.

"This shows their concern over unity in the party, and their level of support can be regarded as high," he told reporters.

Party president Ong Tee Keat joined the meeting an hour before it ended and was welcomed by cheers from the floor.

Chua also said that the majority of those present indicated that they would not attend the Nov 28 extraordinary general meeting (EGM) called by the faction backing vice-president Liow Tiong Lai to seek fresh party elections.

Liow and his key backers, Wanita chief Chew Mei Fun, Youth chief Wee Ka Siong and central committee (CC) members Wee Jeck Seng and Wong Nai Chee, were absent.

Fresh polls in six months?

Chua said the proposal for the direct election received good support from the grassroots members who wanted to see a more active and broad participation in the selection of the party's central leadership.

"The grassroots want a new mechanism to elect the party central leadership. This is their aspiration and we are working to fulfil their expectations.

Chua said the party will study if it will allow all members to vote or expand the current central delegates to branch level delegates like what Umno had done.

"We may study the mechanism of election by the party membership or follow what Umno is doing," he said.

"We never say we can't have direct election, we also never say we can't have fresh polls. But we want to stabilise the party first and fresh polls may follow."

"Maybe we will hold fresh polls through direct election after six months, this is more democratic," said Chua, adding that the current priority is implementing the unity plan.

His announcement today was in line with Ong's pledge last week in an interview with Malaysiakini .

Ong vowed to hold a fresh election but on the condition that MCA attains stability first by implementing the unity plan.

Resolutions of Nov 28 EGM will be invalid

Details of the taskforce would be further discussed by the CC on Wednesday and the taskforce would be given time to come up with results, he added.

Chua said the proposed Nov 28 EGM was also discussed at the meeting.

"In short, it is an EGM where the resolutions will be invalid in respect of the party constitution. At today's discussions, it can be said that many divisional leaders agreed that they will not attend the EGM," he said.

The meeting also decided that all divisions would receive grants from the party headquarters for community activities and the amount would depend on the size of the division and whether it had a general election candidate.

Present today were vice-president Dr Ng Yen Yen and newly-appointed central committee members Tan Chai Ho, Donald Lim and Chua Tee Yong and Information and Communication Bureau chief Senator Heng Seai Kei.

Secretary-general Wong Foon Meng, vice-president Kong Cho Ha and treasurer-general Tee Hock Seng are currently overseas.

- Bernama