I'm not power hungry, says Liow

2009/11/06

PUTRAJAYA: MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said yesterday he was not "power hungry" and that he was fighting to restore the dignity of the party.

He said this in response to a question on whether he would consider the offer to be part of the MCA "greater unity plan" under which he would be retained as deputy president while Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek would be appointed secretary-general.

"I want to stress here that it is not position that I am after ... I am not fighting for any position.

"People have been trying to smear me saying that I am power-hungry and that I was going for all the positions and set on the deputy presidency.

"On the contrary, what is important to me is preserving the principles, as well as protecting the constitution and democracy within the party," he said after a special cabinet meeting on the 2010 Budget at the Finance Ministry yesterday.

Liow was non-committal when asked if by not accepting reinstatement as deputy president means that he was willing to settle for the post of vice-president which he was reverted to following the ruling by the Registrar of Societies that Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek was still the deputy president.

Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai taking to the press after attending a special cabinet meeting on the 2010 Budget at the Finance Ministry in Putrajaya yesterday.

Liow was voted in as deputy president by the party's central committee on Oct. 15.

To a question, Liow disagreed that just because he and his supporters wanted another extraordinary general meeting, he should be held responsible if the discord in the party persisted.

"We all want unity... You cannot say that because my supporters are calling for an EGM, we don't want unity in MCA.

"But unity must be in the context of the constitution, democracy and dignity. This is important because what is unity if it is not based on these factors."

Liow said while unity in MCA might take time to be restored, members would strive to sort out the problems that arose as best and fast as they could.

"It is for us to find a good solution to the predicament of the party," he said, adding that he was still open to negotiation in restoring unity in the party.

Asked if an EGM was still necessary if steps towards attaining MCA unity were headed in the right direction, he said the two issues should not be lumped together.