By Lee Wei Lian
PUTRAJAYA, Nov 19 — Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai today welcomed the prime minister's call for a meeting with MCA leaders after the power struggle in the party took a turn for the worse yesterday.
Liow said he does not see it as interference in MCA's affairs but that it was all right to receive advice from the prime minister as chairman of the Barisan Nasional.
"I thank the prime minister for his concern on the ongoing political turmoil in MCA. Whatever steps the prime minister takes cannot be seen as interference in our party but as advice," Liow said at a press conference after attending a food safety council meeting here today.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today he will meet the warring faction leaders in MCA separately after describing the leadership crisis in MCA as having grown worse and more serious.
Liow declined to confirm if a date and time had been set for a meeting with Najib.
MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat yesterday revamped the presidential council and axed nearly half of its members including five deputy ministers aligned to Liow and replaced them with friendly parties.
The president has wide discretionary powers to make council appointments under the party constitution but Liow likened it to a declaration of war and accused Ong of being "corrupted" by "absolute power."
The presidential council is the platform for the party to discuss matters pertaining to the Cabinet.
When asked if he will push on with the EGM on Nov 28 to propose fresh party elections despite the party central committee voting against it, Liow replied that the central committee had no constitutional right to stop the EGM.
He however indicated that an acceptable alternative for him would be for the entire party leadership to agree to a mass resignation thus automatically triggering an election.
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