Tuesday November 17, 2009
Close ranks and soldier on, MCA told
By NURBAITI HAMDAN
KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA leadership needs to set aside their differences and soldier on with a focused mission, the party was told by top Chinese community and business leaders.
The business, guilds and association leaders were unanimous that MCA needed to stay focused on a wide variety of issues relevant to the community.
These comments were made at a dinner organised by party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat as a brainstorming session which was attended by almost all of the party leadership.
Dining together: Ong having dinner with (clockwise from his left) Pheng, Lee, Liow, Heng Sze, Ng, Dr Chua, Cho Ha, Teck Fong and William Cheng. Ong thanked the community leaders for their concern for MCA, saying ‘we churned out some good ideas while we dined’ as Dr Chua said the get-together was held in a friendly and understanding atmosphere. ‘The discussion was amicable, full of understanding and awareness,’ he said. — KAMARUL ARIFFIN / The Star It was a rare occurance for all the fueding party leaders to be seated for dinner in one table since the MCA became embroiled in a split over the leadership in the past few months but last night they sat together to discuss community matters with the heads of various Chinese organisations.
Ong said among the issues discussed during the dinner were feedback from the grassroots on the Budget announced recently by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and on matters relating to education, he said.
“We thank the community leaders for their concern for the party. The dinner was more of a brainstorming session for us — we churned out some good ideas while we dined,” he told a press conference after the dinner.
Also present at the dinner were his deputy Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, vice-presidents Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha, Association Chinese chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia chairman Tan Sri William Cheng, Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia president Tan Sri Pheng Yin Huah, IOI corporation executive chairman Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng, head of Malaysian Seven Major Clans Association Datuk Kong Heng Sze and Hakka Association chief Tan Sri Ng Teck Fong.
Friendly atmosphere: Ong (left) shaking hands with Liow at the dinner Monday. Dr Chua said the dinner was held in a friendly and understanding atmosphere and covered a wide-range of subjects from the party’s internal issues to the economy.
“The discussion was amicable, full of understanding and awareness that the MCA needs to pay serious attention on the political upheaval in the party,” he said.
Dr Chua added that the party guaranteed that its leaders were aware of their responsibilities in efforts to achieve unity.
“The community and business leaders also expressed their satisfaction in the way the party cooperates with the Chinese community in, among others, overcoming economic and education problems,” he said.
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