Tuesday September 1, 2009
Members to decide on direction
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has instructed party secretary-general Datuk Wong Foon Meng to convene an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) within 30 days.
Ong, who is also the Transport Minister, said he had decided to call for an EGM under Article 30.1 of MCA’s constitution to allow party members to reflect on the direction in which the party should be heading.
“It will also allow members to deliver a verdict on the decisions made by the MCA leadership – whether on its renewal and rejuvenation efforts, on disciplinary cases or in the handling of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) issue.
“With the EGM, I also hope to quell speculations, end uncertainities and put to rest elements that will split MCA as it seeks to regain public support in time for the next general election.
“I am prepared to accept whatever verdict the EGM delivers,” he wrote in his blog yesterday.
Describing the holding of the EGM as a “serious matter”, Ong said he believed in listening to the members’ voice, which was why he made direct election of the MCA president part of his electoral pledges in last year’s party poll.
“I fervently believe in transparency and accountability. If I were afraid or do not subscribe to these principles, I would have easily brushed aside dissenting views in the party and carry on with what I am doing.
“But that’s not me, as one can see from the level of transparency and accountability I place in dealing with the PKFZ issue,” he said.
Ong said he believed that with sufficient explanation and briefings, members would make the right choice on what was best for the party.
“I have faith that at the end of the day, we will be able to see past fiery emotions and will put the party above everything else,” he said.
When contacted, Wong confirmed that he had received the instruction and said he would start making preparations for the EGM today by issuing a notice to inform delegates of the date, time and venue for the meeting.
Issues expected at the meeting are the PKFZ project, the presidential council’s decision on Aug 26 to sack deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and other matters.
Wong said that to convene an EGM, it would require 200 central delegates or one third of its total number of 2,402 delegates, which was around 800 - whichever was less - to meet the quorum.
“The EGM may dismiss any party official if at least two-thirds of the delegates present at the meeting vote for such a resolution,” Wong said.
Ong’s call for an EGM came at a time when Dr Chua’s supporters are gathering signatures from central delegates to convene an EGM of their own under Article 30.3. They need 800 signatures.
They started collecting signatures in Federal Territory, Selangor and Johor from Sunday.
Among others, they will seek to nullify the council’s decision to expel him and reinstate him as deputy president, and have a no-confidence vote against Ong.
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