Deputy must not be appointed as party's No 1
Giam Say Khoon

Ong Tee Keat

Chua Soi Lek

PETALING JAYA (Oct 14, 2009): The MCA central committee (CC) should not appoint the deputy president to take over from Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat should he resign his presidential post tomorrow, said Save MCA campaigner Datuk Theng Book.

Theng told a press conference today that since Ong has lost the support of the majority in the party, he must step down but a vacated president's post can only be filled by a deputy president as stipulated under the party constitution. Furthermore, the CC has no power to appoint any CC member to be the president.

He said the committee should also not appoint a deputy president merely to take over the president's post because the status of former deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who was not reinstated at the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on Saturday, is still debatable.

"Chua was reinstated as a member and he should have his post back because the party accepted the fact that when the six-month suspension of Ipoh Timur chief Datuk Thong Fah Chong was lifted, his status as central delegate and division chief was recognised by the party and he was allowed to vote in the EGM.

"Chua is still legally the deputy president although a resolution not to reinstate him was passed at the EGM. We want the MCA legal bureau to clarify his status and we hope the party will treat him fairly as it did Thong," he said.

Theng said the sentiment among the grassroots was that they would not accept the CC sharing the 'spoils of war' at a closed-door meeting because whoever was appointed would not reflect their choice and the best way to resolve the crisis was for the CC to resign and pave the way for fresh party elections.

Ng Yen Yen

However, he said it is acceptable for the CC to have an interim president provided fresh elections are held by end of the year although there is no such position as interim president under the party constitution.

"Another way is to call for a referendum under Article 171 of the party constitution to allow the highest authority, which is the central delegates to decide when the party constitution is unable to solve the problem," he said.

Vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen reported today as saying she and the other elected vice-presidents including Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha had reached an agreement on who should lead the party although no details were gi