MCA chief Ong Ka Ting has urged central delegates to reject leaders who are seeking party positions for personal reasons.

Describing them as harmful to the party, he urged central delegates to reject those "who do not care for stability, are selfish, irresponsible and do not contribute to the party".

Opening the Perak MCA convention in Ipoh yesterday, the party president stressed that leaders who have held party and government posts for a long time should be grateful for this, but accept when "the party decides their time is up".

According to a Sin Chew Daily report today, he said that some leaders have held government posts for as long as 15 years.

When the party decided to hand such posts to others, however, they have shown much resentment and even brought personal feelings into party affairs which "is not fair to the party", he was quoted as saying.

Ong said he was neither directing criticism at any individual in particular nor asking delegates to support him (in his bid to defend his post at the forthcoming party election on Aug 20).

Nanyang Siang Pau reported from the same event that Ong highlighted the importance of maintaining the current leadership, which is willing to reform and reunite the party.

"The Number One and Number Two posts cannot be (subjected to) chaos...if there is chaos, the grassroots will face difficulties and feel disheartened," Ong was quoted as saying.

Education achievements

He also said that, during his 26-month tenure, he been able to improve the relationship between MCA and Chinese guilds and associations including the two Chinese education groups that are collectively called Dong Jiao Zong.

Ong said he has helped 44 Chinese primary schools to relocate, while seven new primary schools have been built.

On the matter of the community's SPM high achievers being overlooked for government scholarships, Ong said many students and parents were grateful to him for bringing up the issue with the cabinet as soon as this was reported in the press.

"Every day, I read (a total of) 16 newspapers and weekly magazines just to keep in touch with issues that affect the Chinese (Malaysian) community and the people," he claimed.

Among those who attended the Perak convention were leaders who have announced their intention to contest posts. They included Chua Jui Meng and Dr Ting Chew Peh, who are mounting a bid for the post of president and deputy president respectively.

During the convention, Perak liaison committee chairperson Ong Ka Chuan - Ka Ting's brother - openly pledged support on behalf of state delegates for the leadership of Ong and his deputy, Chan Kong Choy.

Breakdown in negotiations

In another development, the Chinese press reported that negotiations over the top two posts in MCA Youth have broken down and that close fights are expected.

Candidates for deputy chief - vice-chief Liew Yuen Keong and secretary-general Loh Seng Kok have refused to make way for Ling Hee Leong , the son of former party president Dr Ling Liong Sik .

Hee Leong, who has had his eye on the post of Youth chief, had earlier reported that he would only assume the Number Two post on condition that there is no contest.

Rumour is rife that Hee Leong will take on the other secretary-general Liow Tiang Lai, who is the 'preferred' candidate for the post of Youth chief. (Under the 2003 May 'Peace Deal', MCA Youth has a combined secretariat with two secretaries-general.)

Liow, the spokesperson for the Youth 'six-member negotiation team', had announced the failure of the negotiations after the first round took place in Ipoh yesterday. Another round will take place in Sungai Petani on Friday, with further attempts to follow if necessary.

Meanwhile, Oriental Daily News will organise a talk for presidential candidate Chua Jui Meng on July 28 at the Federal Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

Entitled 'Chua Jui Meng in dialogue with Chinese Society: The MCA and Chinese Society is as close as the fish and water', it will feature the elite of Chinese society and leaders in conversation with Chua on his new vision for MCA and the community.

Note: Readers can call 03-4041 3133 or fax the registration form from Oriental Daily News (to 03-4042 0580) to reserve places for the talk.