KUALA LUMPUR, May 22- MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek Yesterday ticked off 15 party veterans for openly asking him to resign and called on them to see him if they really loved the party.
“The veterans have to understand that I was chosen by the delegates, even if they were unhappy, they should meet me and not openly call for my resignation.
“If they feel they are concerned with the party, why none of them supported our activities in the last five years? They did not attend the Annual General Assembly and the Chinese New Year celebration despite being invited,” he told a media conference after chairing an MCA Central Committee meeting here today.
Dr Chua said he appreciated their contributions to the party all this while but they should not openly call on him to resign.
Several MCA leaders at state level including former presidents and deputy presidents had urged Dr Chua to resign without having to wait for the annual general assembly at the end of the year, after the party won only seven out of 37 parliamentary seats it contested in the May 5 general election.
Dr Chua also announced that party election at the branch level would be held from July 15 right up to the central level on Dec 21.
“After the central party election, we will hold our Annual General Assembly one day after the election on Dec 22.
“Election from branch, division, state and central levels will take five months to allow several processes such as member registration and giving ample opportunity to members to protest if their names are not listed,” he said.
On the position of Pulai Sebatang state assemblyman Datuk Tee Siew Keong, who went against the to accept the appointment as a Johor state executive councillor, Dr Chua said the matter would be brought to the party’s disciplinary board for further action.
He said Tee, who is also the party’s organising secretary, had taken leave for from all party activities and posts from branch to central level from today.
“He (Tee) will be called by the disciplinary board to attend public hearing during his leave,’ said Dr Chua. On the vacancy of the Transport Minister, which is reserved to the MCA, Dr Chua said the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak understood the party’s predicament for not accepting any posts as it was subject to a party resolution made in its last general assembly.
“We thanked the prime minister for his concerned. But we are need to comply with the resolution. “It is up to the prime minister to determine who should be appointed transport minister,” he said.
– BERNAMA
