MCA group seeks change
Political youth: MCA members (from left) Chew, Liaw, Desmond, Lim and Nicole holding up speech bubbles calling for party renewal.
(The Star) – A group of six young MCA members has launched a new movement to overhaul the party, calling for direct elections to empower members to have a bigger say in the party’s direction and leadership.
Chew Hoong Ling, who is one of the six founders, said there was a need to reform, rejuvenate and revamp the party after its disastrous outing in the May 5 general election.
She said among the reasons the party did badly in the polls was because it had lost public support as well as the lack of a voice among members to determine its direction.
“We feel power should be returned to the grassroots so that they can directly vote for new party leaders and be directly involved in the party’s renewal process.
“The question is not who should quit or who controls MCA but who determines the leadership and direction of the party.
“This is important to redeem the pride of the members and party,” she told reporters here yesterday.
Among others, the movement aimed to reconnect with active party members, adopt a direct elections system and have a mechanism to determine who are to be appointed to government posts.
Chew, who stood and lost against DAP’s Tony Pua for Petaling Jaya Utara parliamentary seat, said they would be compiling feedback on the party’s future direction via their website at www.mcachange.my, adding that all were welcomed to give their views.
“We hope to submit the views to the leadership and for these to be adopted as a resolution so that the party can start its change from within,” she said.
Another founder Desmond Wong, 36, said they were going ahead with their plans although the movement was not sanctioned by the top leadership.
“We must be brave to start from zero, to rekindle our spirit.
“The new MCA generation needs to have a strong heart to make a change,” he said, adding that the “C” in MCA should also stand for Change.
Other founders of the movement are Nicole Wong, 33; Lim En Theng, 29; Joe Liaw, 36, and Winson Tan, 27.
