Tuesday May 7, 2013

GE13: Chua Soi Lek to step down as MCA chief

PETALING JAYA: MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek (pic) will not be defending his presidency at the party's elections this year.

This comes after the party only won seven parliamentary and 11 state seats out of the 37 parliamentary and 90 state seats it contested in the May 5 general election.

Dr Chua pledged to stabilise the party under “this difficult condition”.

“I will convene a presidential council and central committee meeting to deliberate on the direction of the party following the dismal results.

“At the same time, I have decided that I will not seek re-election in the upcoming party elections,” he said in a statement.

In saying that he accepted MCA's losses, Dr Chua reiterated the stand of the party that it would not take up any government posts at the state and federal levels.

He also said that the MCA respected and accepted the voters' decision.

“It is clear voting was made along ethnic lines with the Chinese believing that the DAP can change the government.

“Voting the Chinese out of the state and federal governments will not help solve their dissatisfaction with the government.

“However, I firmly believe the Prime Minister will continue with the inclusive policy and continue to look after the interest of the Chinese community, particularly on Chinese education, culture and economics,” he said.

He pledged his support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's call for national reconciliation and congratulated Najib for Barisan Nasional's win in the elections.

He also thanked those who had voted for MCA candidates plus campaigners and volunteers who had worked hard in the elections.

In Seremban, Negri Sembilan MCA chairman Datuk Dr Yeow Chai Thiam said he was retiring from politics and would focus on his profession and charity work.

The 59-year-old medical doctor is also the founder and chairman of Mawar Renal Medical Centre a non-profit hospital with more than a dozen branches throughout the country.

Dr Yeow, who received 33,075 votes, lost his Seremban parliamentary seat to state DAP chief Anthony Loke Siew Fook by a majority of 12,553 votes.

The other three candidates in the run for the constituency were Berjasa's Abdul Halim Abdullah, who got 6,866 votes, incumbent John Fernandez (221 votes) and Independent Bujang Abu (83 votes).

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

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