MCA leaders have questioned the party's recent purchase of an Australian-based tertiary education institution, which they claim was done without the party's consent.

They also alleged that the party had no financial means to conclude the purchase and that president Dr Ling Liong Sik did not inform other leaders about it.

On Tuesday, a Sin Chew Daily report quoted the president as saying that MCA had purchased the Australian Institute for University Studies (AIUS).

However, the president refused to disclose the cost of the purchase but described it as "ideal".

Meanwhile, MCA Wanita deputy chief Dr Tan Yee Kew said yesterday that the details of the purchase was never raised or discussed at the party's central committee meeting.

The party leader said she was only aware of the acquisition when she read it in the papers.

"We don't know the purpose, we don't know the price. There was no discussion and no information.

"Furthermore, we do not know whether it would be another financial burden to the party or not," she said when met at the Parliament lobby.

"The acquisition must have taken some time to conclude. But it was not even mentioned and approved through the central committee," added Tan, who is a CC member.

The latest MCA central committee meeting was held last Friday.

Tan urged the party leadership to disclose the information to members in order to allay their concerns over the party's financial resources.

Fund-raising campaigns

Of late, MCA has been actively organising several fund raising campaigns for its newly established Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman in Petaling Jaya.

The party's four cabinet ministers were tasked to raise at least RM2 million in donations each. Other party leaders have also been told to raise funds.

Touching on this, Tan said: As Utar is having fund raising campaigns, we don't know where the money came from (to purchase AIUS). The party has no money. Just last year we had to borrow from the bank for the acquisition of Nanyang Press."

"During the establishment of Utar, the president promised that funds won't be raised for the university from the Chinese community," she added.

Last May, the party acquired Nanyang Press Holdings the publisher of dailies Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press for RM230 million.

Money for the deal was obtained from a bank loan after the party had placed its shares in Star Publications, the publisher of English daily The Star , as collateral.

The deal sparked off a volley of protest from the Chinese community, who feared that the dailies' editorial integrity would be undermined under political paymasters.

The purchase had also split the party into two factions Team A led by Ling and Team B helmed by his deputy, Lim Ah Lek.

Last month, the party through Star Publications had also purchased Radio Rediffusion Sdn Bhd (RRSB) in a RM24.3 million deal.

RRSB owns the popular Chinese language radio station 988 and another bilingual (English and Malay) radio channel, RED 104.9 channel.

One-man party

Former party vice-president and current new village affairs bureau chief, Yap Pian Hon also expressed disappointment over the latest deal.

"The party has changed into an 'one-man show party'," he said when met. Yap had also learned about the deal through media reports.

Both Yap and Tan are aligned to the party's dissident faction or Team B.

Another CC member told malaysiakini that the purchase had violated the party's constitution.

"No matter what the purpose is (for the purchase), if it is not approved through the party's decision making central committee meeting, it is wrong," said the leader who declined to be named.

According to the party constitution, power of purchase is allowed only after getting the approval of the central committee or trustee board.

The13.8 hectare AIUS campus is located in Perth. It was established in 1987 and has links with two renowned Australian institutions, namely the Curtin University of Technology and Monash University.

The institute provides certificate, diploma and advanced diploma courses in commerce, science, design and mass communication.

Ling and other party leaders could not be reached for comment.