breaking news

An overwhelming number of delegates at the MCA Youth extraordinary general meeting (EGM) today backed a resolution to oppose the controversial Nanyang takeover by the party.

A total of 631 of the 678 delegates present, or 95 percent, voted against the deal while 25 voted in favour. Eighteen delegates abstained and there were four spoilt votes.

However, more than half of the 1,514 party Youth delegates failed to turn up for the meeting as a result of a boycott campaign. Youth wing leaders have earlier wrangled over the constitutionality of the meeting.

Earlier this week, MCA legal bureau chief Leong Tang Chong said that the EGM was unconstitutional as it was not properly called.

By party constitution a quorum of 200 members or one third of the total delegates, whichever is lesser, is required for the EGM.

Earlier, the delegates unanimously passed a resolution stating that today's EGM was convened in accordance with the party's constitution, and that their decision to call for the EGM could not be challenged.

The delegates are now moving from the venue of the EGM at a hotel in city centre to the party headquarters a few kilometers away for Youth chief Ong Tee Keat to hand over the resolution to party president Dr Ling Liong Sik.

The party's top leaders currently having an emergency central committee meeting in Wisma MCA.

The second biggest party in the Barisan Nasional ruling coalition is divided over its recent takeover of Nanyang, which publishes two Chinese dailies, Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press .

Ling has called for an EGM tomorrow to resolve the dispute.

[Full report to follow]