Bureau head says it's not valid

2009/11/08

KUALA LUMPUR: The president's men continued to fire salvoes at their detractors in the MCA's leadership tussle.

The party's special task force bureau chairman Simon Lim said the extraordinary general meeting called by three members of the central committee was invalid as no reason was given for its second resolution.

The requisitionists -- Wong Nai Chee, Datuk Wee Jeck Seng and Datuk Liew Yuen Keong -- want to table two resolutions.

The resolutions are to seek the dissolution of the central committee; and to nullify any changes made to party positions by the president after the party's EGM on Oct 10.

Lim said because they failed to give any grounds for the second resolution, it failed to comply with the party constitution.

He chided the trio for publishing the EGM notice in several Chinese dailies, saying the reasons given for having such a meeting rang false as they did not justify the second resolution.

"There are no valid reasons to convene a second EGM. Any EGM convened shall be unlawful," he said in a statement yesterday.

Lim added that it was inappropriate to post the notice as an advertisement as it was not the valid mode of service to notify delegates.

In his defence of party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Kiat, and to an extent recently reinstalled deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, he said Ong's Greater Unity Plan was supported by two-thirds of the CC members.

"The allegation that Tee Keat and Soi Lek are not able to work with the CC is inaccurate. In fact, the reverse is true, it is the requisitionists who can't work with the CC."

Lim added that it is "erroneous and malicious" to say that the pair had created the Greater Unity Plan in secret.

He said it was clearly announced at a press conference over two weeks ago, in the presence of several senior leaders including the central committee-installed deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

"Further, it has been tabled at the last central committee meeting. It is the best thing aimed at unifying all members and supporters of MCA throughout Malaysia,” he said.

Lim stressed that Liow had acknowledged that Dr Chua had the right to refer the issue of his position in the party to the Registrar of Societies, which eventually ruled in favour of Dr Chua’s reinstatement. He also said it was unfair to say Ong had disrespected the Oct 10 EGM decisions by staying
on, as it was in no way a dismissal against the president.