The Malaysian Insider

Updated

By Lee Wei Lian

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 — As expected, the MCA central committee (CC), packed with president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat’s supporters, rejected the proposed Nov 28 extraordinary general meeting (EGM), further diminishing vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and his allies’ bid for power.

Ong said 23 CC members voted against the EGM, 10 voted for and two abstained as they felt it was unconstitutional.

The EGM had proposed to hold fresh elections and nullify appointments that have been made following the Oct 10 EGM.

What was not expected was Ong also reshuffled the presidential council, which saw the axing of several members aligned to his rival Liow. The move has been interpreted as isolating the party vice-president within the CC and the presidential council.

In the presidential council reshuffle, those dropped were Youth chief Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, Wanita chief Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, Datuk Wee Jeck Seng and Wong Nai Chee, who was the main person requesting for a fresh EGM.

New faces include Datuk Tan Chai Ho, who is aligned to deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, now reinstated after his earlier feud with Ong precipitated the MCA leadership crisis.

The president has the discretion to appoint whoever he wishes but Liow described the move as politics of “slash and burn”.

The move today does not come as a major surprise as Ong’s critics have long accused him of having a low tolerance for dissent.  The beleaguered president had already dropped four appointed allies in the central committee and the party legal bureau chief in previous weeks in favour of friendlier parties.

But today’s decision could also impact any federal cabinet reshuffle as, apart from Ka Siong who is deputy education minister, deputy higher education minister Hou Kok Chung and deputy home minister Datuk Wira Chor Chee Heung were also dropped from the presidential council,  seen as the platform for MCA leaders to discuss government policies.

It could also  trigger a wave of sympathy from MCA grassroots for Liow and his allies, now seen as victims of a power play.

Ong however stressed in a separate press conference that it was a ‘reshuffle” and it was not fair to say they were “axed”.

“After all, as and when we need to reshuffle, we will do it,” he told reporters.

When asked if the reshuffle was part of the greater unity plan, Ong replied: “If you were to interpret it in the right perspective, the greater unity plan is not a mathematical model. The greater unity plan you need to make it work and since we have identified the initiatives it is time to get to work.”

Meanwhile, a teary-eyed Ka Siong blasted Ong for dropping him, saying that when the MCA president was the youth chief, he was still elected to the presidential council even though he had conflicts with then president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik.

Others dropped today were Lee Wei Kiat and Gan Hong Su.

Newly appointed to the council today are Tan Cheng Liang, deputy foreign minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong and Datuk Mah Hang Soon,

The position of national organising secretary was left vacant after Yoo Wei How was dropped on Nov 3 and Ong said it would be filled “as and when needed”.

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