The first MCA special committee meeting to look into details of fresh party polls ended with the committee chairperson Dr Chua Soi Lek saying that there may be no new elections at all.

NONE Chua, also the party deputy president, told reporters after the hour-long meeting this morning that there were too many technical and legal issues involved for fresh elections to be held.

"The possibility (of not holding fresh polls) is very high," he said when asked to comment on the issue.

Among the hurdles he cited are the unwillingness of central committee (CC) members to resign and the tenure of the new leadership if fresh polls are held. Another question is whether fresh polls should involve Youth and Wanita leadership.

The present office bearers' term will only end in 2011.

"So there is an issue that if the fresh poll is held, whether it will be valid for one and half years or three years," he said.

While the committee could not make any decision today, it has directed the party’s lawyers to look into legal issues to make sure that any decision that it makes later will not breach the constitution.

Chua said the lawyers have been asked to submit their feedback later this week, after which the committee will meet again. This will be one of two meetings it will hold before making a final decision.

He also said that only 13 CC members, including himself, are willing to resign to pave the way for fresh polls, but did not reveal their names.

The constitution stipulates that 20 elected CC members must resign, in order for fresh polls to be held.

mca liao faction briefing penang 221109 liow tiong lai Vice-president Liow Tiong Lai, who leads one of the three feuding factions, had previously said that 13 CC members from his faction are ready to resign.

Last Wednesday, the MCA CC meeting decided to postpone its annual general meeting - scheduled for last Saturday - to another date to allow the party to decide on the fresh polls.

A special committee headed by Chua was formed to look into the date and manner of the fresh elections.

Liow's faction had sought for new elections to be held within 60 days but both Chua and party president Ong Tee Keat said they prefer a date after March next year.

‘Fresh polls without contesting’

Chua today reiterated that although the party crisis must be resolved as soon as possible through fresh polls, no deadline should be imposed on the CC to resign.

"Nobody should be talking about deadlines in January," he said.

NONE Chua also said that “fresh polls without contesting” would be the best way to end the impasse, but did not elaborate on the suggestion.

Liow, a member of the special committee, maintained that it will ultimately recommend fresh elections. He said his supporters are trying to convince the other CC members to resign.

"I don't want to say much... Too many statements will affect our effort," he said before leaving the party headquarters.

In the 2002 party polls, candidates for key posts were nominated and won without any contest. This was after then premier and Barisan Nasional head Dr Mahathir Mohammad brokered a 'peace plan' to end the infighting in MCA.

The committee meeting today was not attended by Youth chief Wee Ka Siong and Information chief Heng Seai Kei. Both Heng and Wee were away on ministerial duties.

Sec-gen to issue resignation letter

NONE In another development, party secretary-general Wong Foon Meng ( left ) told reporters that a standard resignation letter will be issued to all CC members by today or tomorrow.

"We will give them a deadline and we will wait for them to return them," he said.

Wong, an elected CC member, however refused to say if he would be resigning from the post to pave way for new elections.

He added that he will announce the feedback from the CC members once he has received all the letters.

He also said that he had not received any resignation letters from any CC members.