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Wednesday February 4, 2009

Rebranding the MCA, plan to be unveiled on March 1

By TEH ENG HOCK


Plan to transform MCA

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA will unveil its plan to transform the party on March 1, in conjunction with its 60th anniversary celebrations, says president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

He will present a comprehensive paper, drawn up after receiving feedback from various quarters, including party members and the public, on the party’s future direction.

Ong added that the party leadership would also conduct an initial evaluation of the transformation guidelines to ensure the plan was properly implemented.

Ong, who is also Transport Minister, said secretary-general Datuk Wong Foon Meng had been entrusted to draw up the guidelines to appoint, monitor and evaluate the performance of MCA representatives at all levels, including the coordinators of state constituencies that fell to the Opposition.

MCA Central Committee member Wong Hock Aun, The Star’s group chief editor Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, Ong’s wife Datin Seri Jane Chooi, Bernama group chief editor Datuk Yong Soo Heong, MCA vice-president Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen, Sin Chew executive editor-in-chief Kuik Cheng Kang, MCA treasurer-general Tan Sri Tee Hock Seng and Nanyang Siang Pau executive director (editorial) Chong Tien Siong at the MCA’s media appreciation night at Wisma MCA yesterday.

“This proposal was made at the division level of MCA and then expanded to the state liaison level. The appointment, monitoring and evaluation will then be brought to the central party leadership,” he said after chairing the MCA presidential council meeting yesterday.

Ong said Insap, the think-thank of the party, had also presented an analysis of the Kuala Terengganu by-election results at the meeting.

“It is a very deep and thorough evaluation participated by all members of the presidential council. We can learn from the analysis,” he said.

Asked about MCA’s stand on party-hopping, Ong said the party was against political bribery.

However, he said, MCA would maintain its openness and be receptive of individuals not belonging to any particular political party.

On a question whether MCA would push for an anti-party hopping law, he said: “This is hypothetical. When the time comes, we will make our stand.”

On another matter, Ong lashed out at Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for “purposely twisting the facts” on the Labu low-cost carrier terminal issue.

“LCCT Labu is a private project that had been approved earlier. But when a proposal from Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) surfaced to develop a LCCT in KLIA, then we had to coordinate both the projects,” he said.

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