MCA chief calls EGM to decide fresh polls

Ong Tee Keat today invoked his powers as MCA president to call for another extraordinary general meeting (EGM) - this time to decide if a fresh party elections should be held for all posts.

In a posting on his blog, the transport minister said he was forced to do this because the central committee members had shot down his proposal during a meeting this afternoon to hold the polls.

"I had proposed to have fresh polls to seek a fresh mandate from the party, especially since the outcome of the (previous) EGM was inconclusive and indicated that the grassroots were divided. The best way out of this situation is to seek the re-affirmation of the MCA leadership."

Ong was earlier expected to tell the central committee, its highest decision-making body, whether he will quit or fight on against his rival Dr Chua Soi Lek, who had served as the party's deputy president.

But instead he called for the EGM to decide on fresh leadership polls, just a year after the last round.

Ong, who looked grim after the CC meeting, refused to talk to journalists ( left ).

"Check my blog," was all he said.

According to his blog posting which was uploaded soon after, Ong said he wanted the entire leadership to resign as the disciplinary action against Chua was a "collective decision of the presidential council and central committee".

"Hence, the onus and responsibility is not on me alone but collectively."

But the majority of the 42 central committee members - 30 of whom are elected while 12 appointed by the president - were against the proposal.

Ong said that "any hopes for fresh polls were dashed because certain quarters are worried that I would renege on my word and decide to stay on as president".

"This is absolutely baseless," he said.

It is not clear whether Ong intended to step down soon and not re-contest his post should there be fresh elections.

Long list of unfinished business

In his blog posting , Ong strongly hinted that he would stay on for now as he has "unfinished business" to handle.

"I still have a long list of unfinished business involving party and public interests, like the direct election of the MCA presidency and the Port Klang Free Zone issue."

Ong said he directed MCA secretary-general Wong Foong Meng to call for the EGM under Article 30.1 of the party constitution.

According to the MCA constitution, the EGM must now be held within 30 days.

Ong said that EGM will be held together with the party's annual general meeting, which was postponed earlier.

"The EGM/AGM will allow delegates to end the impasse over whether the central committee should seek a fresh mandate," he said.

The three-hour central committee meeting also agreed that vice-president Liow Tiong Lai assume the post of deputy president, which fell vacant following the sacking of Chua.

The sacking was later commuted to four-year suspension by the CC.

A senior MCA leader told AFP : "There is no clear indication that whether Ong is going to stay or resign... but it looks like he is not going to resign."

CC did not ask Ong to quit

According to a party insider, the CC meeting today first discussed the status of the deputy president post.

Apparently not all agreed that the post is indeed vacant, especially those from Chua’s faction.

They argued that the wording of the resolutions passed at the EGM last Saturday were ambiguous on whether Chua was removed as deputy president.

“Liow was later nominated to fill the deputy president post but 15 CC members demanded a secret ballot.”

Liow was eventually elected as the new deputy president.

According to CC member Liew Yuen Kong, there was a proposal at the meeting for vice-president Kong Chor Ha to fill the deputy post, but Kong declined.

“The president did not mention whether he would resign. He only said he would face the results (of the new EGM).

Meanwhile, CC member Tan Cheng Liang revealed that the CC did not ask Ong to step down.

“Ong’s fate? He will now let the decision to the EGM, which will be held together with the AGM. There are many interpretations (on the previous EGM decision) and we need to clarify it.”

Tan said Saturday’s EGM was intended to solve the problem involving Chua.

“It never intended to create another problem,” she lamented.