Saturday May 11, 2013

GE13: MCA will be in chaos if Chua quits now, says Ting

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek owes it to the MCA general assembly to ensure that the coming party elections are conducted in accordance with the party constitution, said former party secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh.

The MCA president, said Dr Ting, was answerable to the assembly which elected him to helm the party.

“If Soi Lek steps down now, the party will be in chaos and he will be blamed for that,” he said here yesterday.

Asked to comment on a group of party veterans asking Dr Chua to step down immediately, Dr Ting said:

“Such a call is uncalled for because he was elected by the general assembly and he owes his position to the general assembly.”

Dr Ting also questioned those who blamed the party president for the outcome although the party had often stressed on collective decision and responsibility.

He noted that the central committee and division leaders had also participated in recommending election candidates.

“It is very unfair to pinpoint one particular leader now that the party did not do well. Does this mean that there is no need for other leaders like the deputy president, vice-presidents, central committee members and division chiefs to take responsibility?” he said.

Dr Ting said that since Dr Chua had already stated that he would not seek re-election, he questioned the motive behind those who were out to force him to step down immediately.

On MCA not accepting government posts because its results were worse than those in the 2008 general election, Dr Ting said this was a resolution endorsed by the general assembly the party's highest decision-making body during an extraordinary general meeting and all party members must abide by it.

In IPOH, Perak MCA deputy chairman Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said it was sticking to the decision to decline government posts, adding that about 12 to 13 state divisions had agreed to abide by it.

Kong, who is also MCA secretary-general, said calling for Dr Chua's immediate resignation would also create unnecessary speculation.

In KANGAR, factory owner Teo Hai Boon, 49, said he was upset after being told by MCA-appointed Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) leaders that they could not certify his daughter's primary school enrolment document on Monday.

“They told me that they no longer have authority to verify my income slip required by the school,” said the father of two yesterday.

Another resident, who wished to be known as Chew, said she faced a similar problem as she needed the JKKK to verify her salary slip for her son's study loan.

“MCA should not give up government posts just because of the election defeat as many of us still need them,” said Chew, 45, who lives in Taman Perlis.

For more election stories, please visit The Star's GE13 site

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