MCA the winner if Liow is censured, says Chua

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek said MCA and its members will benefit should the central delegates adopt a motion to censure his deputy Liow Tiong Lai for his failures in carrying out his GE-related duties, in the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to be held on Sunday.

He said the motion once passed would serve as a firm reminder for party leaders, that once appointed to a position, they are to perform their duties and they are to refrain from mobilising their supporters to attack the party and party leaders during the elections’ season.

“If the motion is passed, Chua Soi Lek is not the winner, the winner is MCA and its members,” Chua told a media conference at MCA headquarters, today.

He said Liow, despite being appointed as the MCA’s Election Preparation Committee chairman three and half years ago, has failed to discharge the duty at a satisfactory level.

“He [is] supposed to travel around the country and visit the 127 parliamentary and state seats contested by MCA, to see what help is required.

“But to my understanding, he has not been to more than 10 constituencies,” he said.

The former health minister said it was also important that MCA senior leaders controlled their supporters and do not allow them to tarnish the party image or attack leaders during the party elections season.

He was alluding that Liow was “pulling strings from behind” in the recent series of criticism against him by the Save Party Committee 3.0.

“Besides, we will also make MCA more democratic by empowering the central delegates and give them the right to evaluate and criticise leaders in a proper forum like the EGM,” he added.

He, however, refused to reveal his next move should the motion be rejected by party delegates.

Muhyiddin asked about MCA EGM

Chua also admitted that Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin called to inquire about the motion to censure Liow, but said the BN senior leader has not instructed MCA to withdraw the motion.

“He (Muhyiddin) called me because somebody had complained to him about the motion, but he understands the nature of the EGM and our party constitution,” he said, without naming the complainant.

He stated that even if Umno were to ‘meddle’ in MCA matters, the 20 central committee members have assured him that they will stand firm at the decision to hold the EGM.

Meanwhile, Chua declined to comment on former MCA president Ong Tee Keat’s potential entry into the party presidential race as reported by FMT yesterday.

Ong who was ousted by Chua in 2010 had said that he was ready to take on anyone in a straight fight for the president’s post.

“I offer myself to go for presidency in view of the party’s present predicament that is deemed unprecedented in the history of MCA.” Ong told FMT in an exclusive interview.

To reveal his decision soon

Chua replied by saying that it was Ong’s right as a central delegate to partake in the MCA elections scheduled to be held on Dec 22, and that he would not advise Ong against contesting, like how he advised Liow.

“If I give him advice, he will say this man (Chua) has moved a motion of no confidence against me and defeated me, now he wants to give me advice, not fair.

“He is smart enough to act according to his best interest and [in the] best interest of the party,” he said.

On MCA Youth Chief Wee Ka Siong’s threat to boycott the party elections if Chua were to seek re-election as president, he said that it was up to Wee to decide on his own future.

“For me, I will make a decision according to the best interest of the party. And I will announce my decision when the time comes.

“On top of that, have I ever said I want to contest?” he said, brushing aside rumours that he was not keeping his own promise made on May 6 to relinquish his presidency.