Thursday May 9, 2013

GE13: Soi Lek wants to quit appointed posts

Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has voiced his intention to quit, saying that he would meet Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak before making any announcements.

The MCA president also posted on Facebook and Twitter that he was no longer a member of the National Economic Council following the dissolution of Parliament.

“A new council member will be appointed later by the PM,” he said.

He also said that he would meet the Prime Minister before announcing his resignation as the Penang Port Commission chairman.

“I was appointed to the Penang Port chairman post by the PM, hence as a matter of courtesy, I need to see him before announcing my resignation,” he wrote.

In April 2011, the MCA presidential council unanimously decided that the party would not take up any government posts if it performed worse in the 13th general election than the 2008 polls.

There have been calls for Dr Chua to step down as MCA president following the party's May 5 outing which saw it clinching just seven parliamentary seats, down from the 15 seats it won in 2008.

On Monday, Dr Chua said he would not seek re-election in the upcoming party election.

In George Town, several MCA leaders have come forward to urge him to resign immediately.

Jelutong division chief Datuk Leow Soo Tat said Dr Chua should bear responsibility for the party's “catastrophic loss” in the polls.

Leow said Dr Chua should follow the example of Teng Chang Yeow, who resigned as Penang Barisan Nasional chairman after the poor showing in the state.

Bayan Baru division secretary David Yim Boon Leong also expressed similar sentiments.

In Johor Baru, former assemblyman Chia Song Cheng said Dr Chua made a mistake by picking candidates who were not winnable.

Chia, who is Pulai division deputy chief, called for an emergency central committee meeting to analyse why the Chinese rejected Barisan and MCA.

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