updated version

Team B today submitted an official requisition for an extraordinary general meeting in a bid to postpone the party elections until the controversy surrounding the MCA membership list is resolved.

Youth assistant secretary-general Liow Tiong Lai, central committee member Tang See Hang, and Perak state assemblyman Lee Chee Liong handed the written request to party deputy chief administrative director Mok Ah Hoo.

At a press conference held before todays central committee meeting, Tang said the requisition was made on behalf of 810 party delegates.

This is slightly more than one-third of the 2,384 delegates, meeting the requirement stipulated by the party constitution for an EGM to be held.

Tang said the EGM would decide on the proposal to set up a nine-member Verification and Elections Committee headed by former deputy president Lee Kim Sai

It will also decide on whether to dissolve the existing party elections steering committee led by secretary-general Dr Ting Chew Peh.

Main task

Elaborating on the committee, Tang said its main task would be to investigate the list and remove names that were registered inappropriately. It would also prepare a new schedule for this years party polls.

He said the committee would also evaluate party elections at whatever level that have taken place and take any action it deems necessary and proper in its absolute discretion as well as delegate such power to any person it deems fit.

More importantly, Tang stressed, it would ensure that its authority would not be meddled with by any organ, committee, officer or body of the party except for the general assembly.

He added a resolution would also be proposed at the EGM urging for the revocation of last Decembers suspension of the partys Youth wing as the three-member committee established since then to take over the wings leadership was unjustifiable.

Tang said the other eight proposed members of the Lee-led committee are party vice-presidents Dr Fong Chan Onn, Chan Kong Choy; Youth chief Ong Tee Keat and his deputy Hoo Seong Chang; Wanita chief Dr Ng Yen Yen and her deputy Dr Tan Yee Kew; former Youth chief Yap Pian Hon, and former party headquarters chief administrator Lim Si Cheng.

The veteran leader stressed that the list of 138,000 new members who were recruited within the second half of last year was tainted as it indicated an unprecedented increase amounting to 18 percent of the total membership.

The increment in Wilayah Persekutuan was 37.2 percent, Penang 34.8 percent, Selangor 25.5 percent, Negeri Sembilan 19.8 percent, Perak 19 percent, and Kedah 14 percent, he said.

Lee approached

To another question on whether Lee had agreed to lead the committee, Tang declined to comment beyond saying that the former had been approached.

He also did not disclose when the EGM was expected to be held as its schedule has been left to party secretary-general Ting.

Under the MCA constitution, when a requisition for an EGM is made, the actual date must not be more than 30 days from that day and the party secretary-general must issue a notice within five days after the requisition but at least 21 days before the EGM.

MCA Team B leaders had mobilised delegates for the EGM in recent weeks when their allegation about phantom members within the party was repeatedly dismissed by opposing Team A as a tactic to delay the party elections.

Yesterday, while commenting on an ongoing counter-EGM campaign, party president Dr Ling Liong Sik denied his involvement but said that an overwhelming number of delegates have signed against the EGM.

However, this was criticised by Lings deputy Lim Ah Lek who claimed that the party chief was double-faced as he has been instrumental in the counter-EGM campaign.

Lim also alleged that a check on the new membership list detected many dubious applications made by, among others, deceased, non-Chinese and underaged students.

Meanwhile, party secretary-general Ting told reporters after the CC meeting this afternoon that he will look into the party constitution and decide on the requisition for an EGM accordingly.