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Liow faces censure
MCA is set to hold an extraordinary general meeting to censure deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai for refusing to accept the collective decisions of the party. The 20 petitioners from the central committee – more than the one-third required to call for an EGM – said that Liow had provoked infighting after the May 5 general election. > See Page 4 for reports by FOONG PEK YEE, BEH YUEN HUI and LOH FOON FONG
BY FOONG PEK YEE, BEH YUEN HUI AND LOH FOON FONG
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KUALA LUMPUR: The undercurrent in the MCA took a dramatic turn with 20 in the central committee petitioning for an extraordinary general meeting to censure party deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.
The censure is one of four resolutions in the petition sent to MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha at the party headquarters here yesterday.
The other three resolutions concern the party’s stand on the acceptance of appointments by the Federal Government, state governments and government-linked companies.
According to the petition, the reasons to censure Liow include his refusal to accept and respect the party’s collective decisions, and him failing in his duty as chairman of the general election preparation committee (see table).
It said Liow’s actions had provoked party infighting after the recent general election and tarnished the image of MCA.
The petition was submitted by three requisitionists – Datuk Edward Khoo Keok Hai, Datuk Ei Kim Hock and Datuk Tan Chin Meng. They are among the petitioners from the 43-strong central committee.
The rest are listed as Datuk Seri Tan Chai Ho, Datuk Yeoh Chai Thiam, Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon, Datuk Lee Chee Leong, Datuk Heng Seai Kie, Lau Chiek Tuan, Khoo Soo Seang, Datuk Koh Nai Kwong, Loh Seng Kok, Datuk Chong Itt Chew, Dr Por Choo Chor, Datuk Teh Kim Poo, Datuk Koay Kar Huah, Datuk Gan Tian Loo, Tan Ken Ten, Wong Koon Mun and Gan Ping Sieu.
Under the MCA constitution, the petition must have the support of at least one-third of the CC.
There are 43 members in the CC, and they need 15 of them to sign the petition.
(The 43 had included the late Tan Ah Eng. Datuk Liew Yuen Keong was suspended by the party for misconduct during the May 5 general election.)
MCA chief administrative director Lim Chin Hai received the petition on behalf of the secretary-general.
Kong, when contacted in Sitiawan, said he was duty-bound to convene the EGM as long as the requisition was within the party constitution.
He said the central delegates in the divisional elections on Sept 22 would be eligible to vote in the EGM.
Kong said the list of central delegates from the 191 divisions nationwide would be submitted to the party headquarters by Friday.
The EGM will be the ninth of the 64-year-old party.
The high-profile EGMs include the first one that was held in November 1985 to end the party’s more than two-year-long crisis that started in 1983.
The EGM in June 2001 was on the controversial purchase of Nanyang Siang Pauand China Press by MCA’s investment arm Huaren Holdings.
In October 2009, the EGM passed a vote of no confidence in then MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.
He, however, remained president because the votes did not amount to the two-thirds required under the constitution to dismiss him.
The EGM on March 28, 2010, to hold fresh party elections saw Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek defeating Tee Keat and Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting to become president.
The last EGM was in March 2011 to amend the party constitution to allow the postponement of party polls to focus on preparations for the general election.
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