Thursday October 22, 2009

Tee Keat reminded to honour his three-year mandate

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has been reminded that he has a three-year mandate from the delegates to complete his agenda for change.

»They (central committee members) must have the courage to express their intentions and stand up to the political challenges« DATUK TI LIAN KER

Central committee member Datuk Ti Lian Ker urged Ong not to “allow lesser honourable leaders to lecture you on the virtues of honour”.

“You are not here on a popularity or beauty contest. As a leader, you may be ugly but have a heart of gold,” he said on his blog http://tilianker.blogspot.com/ yesterday.

Ti insisted Ong did not lie when the president called upon the principle of collective responsibility.

Before the Oct 10 party extraordinary general meeting, Ong had said that should former deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek be reinstated, this was tantamount to casting a no-confidence vote against the entire presidential council.

This was because the council members made a collective decision on Aug 26 to endorse the recommendation of the disciplinary board to expel Dr Chua.

Ti said when Ong wanted to walk his talk, the presidential council members refused.

“If Ong quit as the president in the name of collective responsibility, the public pressure would be mounting on the members of the presidential council to quit too.

“Therefore many appeal for him to stay. Some even suggested that he tender his resignation letter in order for the central committee to reject later,” he said.

Ti said the presidential council ought to resign en-bloc; or offer to resign en-bloc, when the outcome of the EGM reinstated Dr Chua.

He said Datuk Seri Tan Chai Ho, among those who had called for the party EGM, had repeatedly stressed the meeting was merely meant to reinstate Dr Chua.

He said Ong’s reform had received tremendous support and created a feel good factor from the public.

Ti said if the central committee members were reluctant to dissolve and seek a fresh mandate, they must have the courage to express their intentions and stand up to the political challenges.