MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik today announced a blanket ban on public discussion of issues pertaining to the party.

"It was a unanimous decision on the part of the presidential council. We have decided that there will be a moratorium on public discourse on party matters," Ling said after chairing the one-and-a-half-hour meeting at the party headquarters this afternoon.

"We will not allow anything that can damage the image of the party. The moratorium will be lifted automatically when matters have been rectified and resolved."

According to Ling, the moratorium will be enforced beginning today.

Ling, who is also transport minister, added that he did not wish to have members to "wash their dirty linen in the open".

"I would like to advise all members, in the interest of the party, to abide by the decision," he said.

Youth wing fracas

Ling, however, did not elaborate whether the ban was due to the melee that broke out among MCA Youth delegates at their annual general meeting two weeks ago.

On Aug 8, a number of delegates of the party's youth wing sought to remove the speaker of the meeting, who they claimed was bias.

A delegate tried to wrestle the microphone from speaker Lim Hong San, but his attempt was foiled by Lim's bodyguards. This resulted in punches being traded, and chairs, stink bombs and water bottles being thrown about.

It is believed the ruckus took place when factions supporting Youth secretary-general Yew Teong Look and Youth chief Ong Tee Keat could no longer contain their enmities.

Following an emergency resolution later, Yew and deputy youth chief Loh Seng Kok were sacked from their posts.

Party image tarnished

Ling told reporters that anyone seeking to hand in a report to the party on the ruckus involving the Youth wing could do so within the next two weeks.

"Everybody has realised that it is not only the image of MCA Youth that has been tarnished but the party's image as well," he said.

"Once we have received the reports, the presidential council will then decide if the reports are to be given to the legal bureau, the disciplinary committee or an ad-hoc committee," Ling said, adding that the council's decision would be final.

The presidential council comprises the party leadership, division heads and members of the central committee.

Earlier, ex-Youth secretary-general Yew told reporters that he and three others would boycott the ongoing Youth wing's inquiry into the fracas.

The three others are Youth national organising secretary Hang Chin Pheng, its auditor Chan Joo Kang and Youth central committee member Ho Cheng Wang.

Conflict of interest

"We don't agree and we won't come. We feel that this committee lacks credibility and it was not formed according to the party's constitution.

"We also urge the MCA central committee and the disciplinary board not to allow Youth chief Ong to be on this particular committee as he is involved (in the matter). There is a conflict of interest," Yew told reporters today.

He also urged the party's central committee to handle the matter in a fair and effective manner.

Later at another press conference, newly-appointed Youth secretary-general Liow Tiong Lai, who is heading the inquiry, said that Yew was prejudiced against the committee.

"He himself is biased. How does he know that we are going to be unfair if he has not even read our report on this matter?

"In the event that there are quarters that do not wish to co-operate, we will proceed based on independent sources," Liow said

When asked about party president Ling's 'moratorium', Liow said, "We would abide by it."