Two more mediators roped in to solve MCA Youth CC deadlock
MCA vice-presidents Ong Ka Ting and Chan Kong Choy have been appointed mediators between the two feuding groups to help solve the deadlock over the list of central committee members in the party's Youth division.
Seven CC vacancies need to be filled as the incumbents have passed the 45-year age limit but the Youth leaders who are aligned to opposing Team A and B have not been able to agree on the office bearer nominees for the next term.
Party president Dr Ling Liong Sik said both Ong and Chan will help the three-man panel which failed in an earlier attempt to get the feuding groups to agree on a common list as well as to settle "a few outstanding issues".
The three-man panel led by veteran member Wang Choon Wing has been put in charge of the party's Youth wing since its suspension late last year.
"We have given them some guidelines. We can get the list done," said Ling who earlier this morning chaired a one-hour meeting of the special nine-man committee which he heads at Wisma MCA.
He has also told those involved in the negotiations to "refrain from making negative statements to the press".
"If they persist, we have told [party deputy president and disciplinary committee chairperson Lim] Ah Lek to meet and advise them," he said.
The Youth wing has been hard-pressed to come up with a single list since the party conceded to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's peace plan which had called for, among others, status quo for all party posts.
Nomination deadline
Last week, Wang invited Youth chief Ong Tee Keat to be part of the ongoing mediation process so that a single list could be finalised before nomination on June 24.
Tee Keat, who is aligned to Team B, had later rejected the offer citing "conflict of interest". He was held responsible for the fracas that broke out at the Youth annual general meeting in August last year and another 'illegal' extraordinary general meeting by the three-man panel in December.
The events led to the suspension of the Youth central committee and its power was handed over to the three-man panel, which Team B alleged were partial to the opposing faction.
Youth leaders close to Team A include vice-chairman Loh Seng Kok, political secretary to party chief Ling; while those close to Team B is Liow Tiong Lai, former press secretary to party deputy president Lim.
When asked, Ling said today he did not want to speculate on the next course of action if the party could not obtain an agreed list of Youth central committee.
He also refused to comment on whether the restoration of Youth leadership was part of the options if negotiations failed.
However, MCA secretary-general Dr Ting Chew Peh told reporters later that the party was "optimistic about finding a solution" before nomination day next week, adding that Ong and Chan will use their "wisdom and experience" to handle the problem.
The Youth wing is scheduled to hold its annual general assembly on June 28.
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