More than just an EGM

By Lee Yuk Peng (The Star)

The Oct 10 MCA extraordinary general meeting is more than just about voting on the five resolutions that are being tabled but for the future of the party.

THERE were big smiles all round after a protracted five-hour meeting between representatives of Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek as it seemed as if both sides had gotten what they wanted – the president got his single EGM while his former deputy got his five resolutions adopted for voting at the meeting.

At a press conference chaired by secretary-general Datuk Wong Foon Meng to announce the result of the negotiations, the representatives shook hands and gave big smiles in front of the cameras.

But all this cheer and camaraderie belied the tense discussions that went on behind closed doors.

It was a brave decision by Ong to instruct his representatives to adopt his opponent’s resolutions in return for holding a single EGM.

He knew that if the resolutions were not accepted in toto, the requisitionists on behalf of Dr Chua would stage their own emergency meeting as provided for under the party constitution.

Explaining his decision, Ong said he was aware that by accepting the five resolutions he might lose it all.

‘’I am not important. The MCA is, and I do not want to prolong the difficult situation the party is in,” Ong wrote in his blog www.ongteekeat.net on Monday.

“I want a quick solution to unite the party so that we can focus on strengthening the party to serve the people even if that means putting my head on the chopping block.’’

The resolutions are:

> To move a motion of no-confidence against Ong;

> To annul the decision of the presidential council to expel Dr Chua;

> To reinstate Dr Chua as MCA deputy president;

> To revoke any appointments including the deputy president made before the EGM; and

> That no disciplinary action be taken against the EGM requisitionists.

In an exclusive interview with The Star on Friday, Ong went one step further and identified the first two resolutions as the ones that will cost him his post.

“Once a simple majority is carried, I would be left with no choice but to step down. Anyone who argues that I do not need to do so, that only a two-third majority is required to boot me out, I think that is a great lie,” said the MCA chief.

Ong said that if the delegates voted for the second resolution, that would mean they were casting a vote of no-confidence against the entire presidential council.

“If this happens, the entire presidential council, where I am the head, will have to go because this is a collective decision and not a one-man decision.”

The MCA chief said he was saying this not to force the delegates to choose between him and Dr Chua but merely to present the reality of the situation.

“I am not trying to interpret in such a way I have any intention to issue a real threat,” said Ong.

“Why should I in the first place? I am merely interpreting the scenario from the usual practice of democracy. It is not the OTK standard.”

Former vice-president Datuk Yap Pian Hon described the coming EGM as the one that would determine the survival of the party.

“The delegates will decide whether the MCA would want to continue with the old ways of running the party or if they are ready to begin a new era with a new style of leading the party,” he said.

“It’s going to be a turning point.”

If the entire council quits, the party would be without a leader since the council is made up of all the top party officials from the three vice-presidents, to the youth and wanita chiefs as well as the secretary-general and treasurer-general.

In his blog, Ong wrote that he had confidence in the wisdom of the delegates.

“They possess the wisdom to determine the destiny of the MCA. Ultimately, they will know the consequences of not doing the right thing.

“They will realise that the impact will go beyond the MCA to strike at the heart of the family institution,” he said.

Yap, who openly supports Ong, said the reality of the situation is that the party is “not big enough for Ong and Dr Chua” as only one of them can stay.

“For Dr Chua, this EGM is like a party election but for the rest of us, it is about the future of the party,” the former Serdang MP said.