Liow and group checkmated

By Alan Ting, Malaysian Mirror

It was another dramatic and extraordinary event at the Wisma MCA Tuesday when party president  Ong Tee Keat unveiled his “greater unity plan”, checkmating his opponents in the party.

Nobody knew that Ong had actually planned well for this CC meeting with another brillant political move that became known just a few hours before the meeting began.

The plan included the removal of four appointed CC members who went against him, namely party organising secretary Yoo Wei How, deputy national organising secretary Gan Hong Su, and ordinary appointed members, Chor Chee Hueng and Chai Kim Seng.

The notice of their removal was sent about 10.30am via SMS by Ong’s political secretary Simon Lim before being followed by the official letters.

Simultaneous moves

It was about the same time that the notice on the appointment of three new CC members were sent to Chua Tee Yong, Tan Ching Ming and Donald Lim Siang Chai. All of them attended the CC meeting Tuesday.

An hour later, a letter from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) was received by Dr Chua Soi Lek, stating that he was still the party deputy president.

All these happened almost simultaneously, just before the CC meeting started at 1pm and caught almost everyone by surprise, including those in favour of fresh party elections.

Party sources said immediately after the CC meeting began, there were attempts to stop the president from explaining the unity plan by some of the CC members who requested for an EGM but were unsuccessful.

The sources said after Ong finished his explanation, 27 of the 44 CC members signed an undertaking to support the unity plan.

Only Ong himself, Dr Chua and vice-president Dr Ng Yen Yen did not sign. The two men did not sign as they are party to the unity plan, while Ng is away on the ministry’s Scandinavian tourism promotion.

Chua was sacked as deputy president on Aug 26, but the CC commuted the sacking to a four-year suspension. However, at the EGM held on Oct 10, Chua was reinstated as party member but not as the No. 2. However, ROS today said he was still the deputy president.

Liow, who had been deputy president for only 19 days, refused to accept the ROS’ decision, saying he “reserved the right” to appeal against the decision and might consider taking it to court.

Together with Wanita chief Chew Mei Fun and Youth chief Wee Ka Siong and some CC members, Liow left immediately when the CC meeting ended at 5.30pm without attending the press conference by Ong.

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