Influential ethnic-based organisation Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (SCAH) raised the curtain for its biennial election following the nomination for committee members which closed at 5pm today.

The biennial election has become a hot issue within the ethnic Chinese in recent weeks as its president Ngan Ching Wen, a prominent business figure, will retire soon after serving two terms, the maximum allowed under the SCAH constitution.

An observer said individuals representing interests of various political parties, ruling or opposition, have been eyeing the leadership of SCAH as it is known to be an opinion-shaping group concerning ethnic Chinese affairs in the country.

The people may not be members of any parties but they are nonetheless inclined towards different parties, said the observer who declined to be named.

SCAH, the umbrella body to 362 Chinese guilds and associations in the state, was instrumental in drafting Suqiu

or the Malaysian Chinese Organisations Election Appeals, a 17-point memorandum presented to the government before the 1999 general election urging for a fairer Malaysia.

Suqiu key leaders however backed down later when certain appeals, especially one which called for the abolition of the distinction between bumiputra and non-bumiputra, came under fire from the Umno-led government.

The SCAH committee nomination saw 23 submissions for the 17 positions of committee member.

The committee has 45 members, 17 of whom are elected every two years. Another 22 are permanent members representing Chinese organisations which helped found the association 70 years ago, while the last six are appointed members.

The preliminary election on April 28 will see the 17 voted into their posts. Within 14 days after that, the whole committee will meet to choose among themselves their new leaders, including the president, deputy president and four vice-presidents.

Top post

Among the candidates nominated today, 17 are incumbent committee members. Drawing the most attention are SCAH deputy president Tan Yew Sing and honourary secretary Lee Yuh Shoo.

It is widely rumoured that the pro-reform Tan, president of Inti International Group of Colleges, is backed by SCAH outgoing chief Ngan and will likely vie for the top post.

Lee, the president of Klang Hokkien Association, is also said to enjoy a good chance to assume the SCAH top post.

However, the observer told malaysiakini that it is not easy for any of the 17 elected members to helm the SCAH as resistance is expected from the other 22 permanent members.

Many of these elected members have advocated for the abolition of the status of permanent members to restore democratic practice in SCAH, the source said.

However, one of the permanent members, Liew Poon Shiak, president of the Federation of Chinese Guilds and Associations in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, has in turn cited historical reasons to mobilise the rest to oppose this move, the source added.

Liew was the deputy president and honourary secretary of SCAH during the 1990s.

The veteran leader who is now seen as being close to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad after serving the premier tea at a National Day celebration last year, is believed to be attempting a comeback in the coming election.

Last month, prominent Chinese community figure Tong Yoke Kim had retracted his offer earlier for the SCAH presidency in an effort to mend the strife between the feuding factions. He reportedly said both sides showed no sign of reaching a compromise.

Tong is the president of the Federation of Hokkien Associations Malaysia, the countrys largest dialect group representing 167 associations nationwide.