Controversial MCA annual general meeting put off for one month

comments     YS Tong     Published     Updated

updated version

MCA annual general assembly scheduled for end of this month will be postponed to July until Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad returns from overseas so that the premier can attend the opening of the event.

Party president Dr Ling Liong Sik announced this today after a one-hour meeting of the special nine-man committee that he heads at MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

"The nomination is still on June 24, and the Youth and Wanita will meet on June 28. But the party AGM will be held on July 27," he said.

This year's AGM, which was originally set for June 29, will be attended by over 2,400 delegates from across the country.

The delegates will then vote for all top posts, including president, deputy president, and four vice-presidents.

Mahathir is expected to go on a one-month leave in two weeks' time, after the Umno five-day AGM starting Thursday.

Many believe the premier's leave is related to the planning of the next general election, a practice that has occurred previously.

Brokered peace deal

In April, Mahathir had brokered a peace deal within MCA to end the year-long bickering between the feuding factions — Team A led by Ling and Team B led by his deputy Lim Ah Lek.

The peace formula had imposed, among others, status quo for MCA posts at levels to avoid internal fight, which could result in reduced Chinese vote to the party and thus the Mahathir-led ruling coalition Barisan Nasional at the next general election.

In recent months, Lim had alleged that there were dubious names among the 135,000 new members recruited late last year and called for a verification of the list to be conducted before the party polls.

But Ling had denied this claim vehemently, saying that this was merely his "insecure" opponent's tactic and stressed that he would be defying the wish of grassroots supporters if he were to postpone the party election.

Following the status quo ruling, party secretary-general Dr Ting Chew Peh said last week that the 40 members in the central committee, MCA's highest decision-making body, will be returned to their posts unopposed at the upcoming AGM.



Malaysiakini
news and views that matter


Sign In