MCA Youth factions fight it out in three states

comments     YS Tong     Published     Updated

The contest between the two feuding factions within MCA Youth to become chairperson of the movement in three states has intensified ahead of the party deadline to fill vacant posts by middle of next month.

MCA Youth joint secretary-general Liow Tiong Lai, who is aligned to Team B led by party deputy president Lim Ah Lek, said today their supporters felt that last year's peace plan had been dishonoured.

"Team A (led by party president Dr Ling Liong Sik) is not negotiating with us o­n equal terms to find a candidate agreeable to both sides.

"They just want to bulldoze through everything and put their men in the posts. This is not in the spirit of the peace plan," he said when contacted.

He conceded it would be difficult to find a candidate agreeable to all sides, but said efforts to negotiate should continue. If negotiations fail, he added, then the posts should be left vacant.

He said Team B supporters would resort to drastic moves such as passing a no-confidence vote against Ling and forming 'shadow committees' to run the MCA Youth in the states concerned should Team A insist o­n appointing its own people to the posts.

"The best way would be to clean up the membership list of phantom voters and to call for an election so that the Youth delegates can choose their own state chief," said Liow.

Vigorous challenge

The tussle for the MCA Youth chief's posts at state level began when eight incumbents passed the 45-year-old age limit and retired last July.

Five states Selangor, Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan, and Perlis had the post filled following negotiations moderated by party vice-presidents o­ng Ka Ting and Chan Kong Choy, aligned to Team A and Team B respectively.

However, the mediation did not work in Negri Sembilan, Federal Territory and Penang. Candidates of both factions claimed they have the greater support among the grassroots and should therefore be made the new chief.

Negri Sembilan will see the most vigorous fight. MCA Youth joint secretary-general Loh Seng Kok, central committee members Mah Ann Ann and Tang Thien Ming are competing to head the movement.

Loh is the political secretary to Ling; Mah is the private secretary to state deputy chairperson Dr Yeow Chai Thiam, a known Team B supporter; whereas Tang is the confidential secretary to Youth chairperson o­ng Tee Keat.

The two contenders in the Federal Territory Youth are Youth vice-chairperson Hang Chin Peng (aligned to Team A) and a Youth division vice-chairperson Yee Poh Ping (Team B).

In Penang, state deputy Youth chief Ooi Chuan Aik (Team A) is being challenged by Youth national organising secretary Tan Yok Cheng (Team B).

Accusations levelled

The party's central committee has directed that the list of Youth chiefs for all states be finalised by Feb 15.

The committee, of which 31 out of the 40 members are aligned to Ling, has been accused of favouring Team A in appointments.

However, a Youth leader from Team A disagreed saying the committee - the highest decision-making body in the party - had endorsed Liow's appointment as Pahang MCA Youth chief last year even though some Team A supporters had wanted to contest the post.

"We recognised that Team B was stronger than us in Pahang and gave way to Liow.

"But when it comes to our candidate, Team B wants to make the appointments complicated even though they know we are stronger," said the leader, who declined to be identified.

He said Team B (members) were wasting time to avoid agreement because they are "not gentleman(ly) enough".

He added the central committee has always acted according to procedures and thus its decision must be respected by all.



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