And the winner is: Dr Wee poses with Bong (right) and Ang (left) during the MCA Johor Baru division polls at Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim in Johor Baru.
JOHOR BARU: After 30 years with the Johor Baru MCA division, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong has stepped down as its chairman.
“I have officially stepped down from my position in the division. It saddens me as I have been part of Johor Baru MCA division since I was 26-years-old.
“But I am confident and I believed that there is a need for a leadership transition at Johor Baru MCA division to continue the party’s future well-being,” he said in explaining his decision to do so.
Recounting his experiences at the division, Dr Wee recalled that he had held the post of division secretary for 15 years before becoming its chairman for another 15 years.
“I started with the division’s public complaints bureau where I held press conferences at coffee shops along Jalan Maju here to highlight problems affecting the public,” he said, citing cases involving victims of scams, loan sharks and many more.
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote for the Johor Baru MCA division polls held at Dewan Jubli Intan Sultan Ibrahim here yesterday, Dr Wee said that the Johor Baru MCA division would always be his “home”.
The division, he said, had created many leaders not only for the party but also for Johor and Malaysia.
“This is being continued by the division’s new Youth chief Lee Ting Han, who is also the state investment, trade and consumer affairs committee chairman.
“With that, I am confident that the division will continue to achieve more success in the near future,” he said.
He also thanked the division members for their support all these years.
The new Johor Baru MCA division chairman is its former Youth chief Bong Seng Heng, who edged out deputy chairman Ang Boon Heng for the post during the division polls – by clinching 152 votes to Ang’s 45.
Dr Wee, in his capacity as MCA president, said the party would only make a decision regarding the mobilising of its machinery for the upcoming six state elections after seat negotiations among the component parties had been completed.
So far, he said that the issue of seat distribution amongst the parties in relation to state elections had not been finalised.
“What is important is how to translate the spirit of togetherness in the unity government in conducting our seat negotiations,” said Dr Wee.
