MCA Youth chief calls for sustainable party unity

comments     Beh Lih Yi     Published     Updated

MCA Youth chief Ong Tee Keat stressed today that party unity should not be a "superficial and temporary" one merely for the sake of safeguarding BN's victory in the next general election.

"We must have a "sustainable" unity. That is the important bottom line," he told reporters after the 40 th MCA Youth annual general meeting held at a Kuala Lumpur hotel.

He said that uniting just for the sake of ensuring victory at the polls was not good enough.

"Youth leaders and members should work together on many macro issues and continue the unity within the party," Ong added.

A new era

Thanking delegates who showed up and declared their desire for reconciliation among the feuding factions, the youth chief said he was happy that the meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere.

"The bitterness of the past is gone. Everybody want to see a new era for the party," he noted happily.

Commenting on the party's decision to absolve him and several others for their involvement in the Aug 3, 2001 Youth fracas, Ong said it should be treated as a lesson for the wing.

The Team B-aligned leader did not feel anyone had been 'sacrificed' following the incident which led to the Youth wing being suspended for six months while leaders cried foul over the ruling.

The incident also became the basis for an explosive claim by Ong that MCA was infiltrated by triads and subsequently a reprimand was issued against him for allegedly tarnishing the party's image.

"Once you fall down, you have to learn how to stand up again, don't blame anybody," Ong, who is also youth and sports deputy minister, asserted.

14 resolutions

In his address at the opening of the AGM, MCA deputy president Chan Kong Choy urged the youth wing to join forces with the parent body in strengthening party unity.

"The party crisis has weakened the party and broke down brotherhood among members. Now, the crisis is over and let us struggle together to unite the party. Forget what happened in the past, pour the muddy water away and start storing fresh and clean water," he said.

Also present at the AGM were Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein, Gerakan Youth chief Mah Siew Keong, MCA vice-presidents Dr Fong Chan Onn, Chua Jui Meng and party veteran Lee Kim Sai.

The meeting also adopted a total of 14 resolutions touching on politics, economics, education, social and community issues and were passed unanimously after eight central delegates took part in the debate.

Among the resolutions were calls to support the party's new leadership and the implementation of the language switch policy. There was also one which urged the parent body to give more opportunities to Youth leaders to contest in the general elections.

The proposal to amend the party's constitution to limit the term of the Youth leader to a maximum nine years was also adopted.

Low attendance

Two years ago, the Youth AGM was marred by bomb hoax , fist fights and chairs throwing.

Although the meeting today was a far cry from the one two years ago, a section of the delegates (believed to be from Johor) nevertheless tried to make fools of themselves by booing while others were debating and complaining on trivial matters like "the aircon is not cold enough" and "very thirsty...lah."

At one point, speaker Lim Hong Sang has to intervene and told them over the microphone that "if you feel thirsty, please take the mineral water that we have prepared outside."

The attendance for this year also dropped from last year's 64.42 to 55.7 percent. Out of the 1,600 delegates, only 938 turned up.

Over the MCA headquarters Wanita leader Dr Ng Yen Yen told the wing's 28 th AGM that there is no place in the wing for individualism, groupings and efforts to undermine the movement in any way.

"The success of a performance is when each player plays her role to the best, not interfering and intruding into others' roles. When someone plays other roles other than hers, the performance will be disrupted, causing much confusion and disorder," she was quoted by Bernama as saying.



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