Friday February 5, 2010
Liow’s boycott plan under fire
By NG CHENG YEE
PETALING JAYA: More MCA leaders have criticised the decision by the group led by vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai to boycott party functions and activities.
MCA’s non-governmental organisations liaison bureau chairman Datuk Ti Lian Ker said the move was destructive and negative.
»They have shirked their responsibilities to discuss and resolve issues about the community« DATUK SERI DR FONG CHAN ONN “It is a sign of political immaturity and it is just a move to satisfy their personal agenda and ego,” he said.
He said the decision by Liow’s faction had disappointed the grassroots which had wanted the leaders to work together in facing the country’s political and economic challenges.
“There is no necessity to push for a party election as it will be held next year,” he said.
On Tuesday, the MCA Integrity Restoring Task Force declared that the faction aligned to Liow would boycott events held by the present leadership until they honoured their word to hold a re-election.
Yesterday, Liow said his faction would not review its decision.
“We want to pass a message to the leadership to take the immediate action of calling for a fresh election,” he said.
Asked whether they would attend the MCA’s Chinese New Year open house on Feb 14, Liow said:
“We will announce the details later. We will call off the boycott immediately if there is a fresh election,” he said.
Party disciplinary board chairman Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn said the group, comprising of one minister and five deputy ministers, were supposed to bring up issues that concerned the Chinese community.
“However, by making such a decision, they have shirked their responsibilities to discuss and resolve issues about the community,” he said, adding that they had a mandate to serve the party and the nation.
“They may not like (party president) Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and (deputy president) Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek but they should put the interest of the people above everything else by returning to the fold and work with other leaders,” he said yesterday.
Bernama quoted former MCA secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh as saying that “if you are in the CC, whether you like it or not, you’ve got to follow the decisions made although there might have been differences of opinion. If you can’t, then you’ve got to quit.”
MCA veteran Datuk Yap Pian Hon said the action by Liow’s faction was “akin to declaring war against your own party,” which showed their immaturity in handling the crisis.
Yap said they should realise that they were voted in by party members and the government positions given to them were based on the party’s recommendations.
“They have a social responsibility to help the party, not to destroy it. You can disagree with others but once a decision is made, you cannot resort to a boycott. Otherwise, you must have the courage to resign.
“You cannot talk about integrity and not practise it,” he said.
Yesterday, a newspaper reported that Ong had voiced regret over the decision by the group.
“It is a pity that any leader chooses to shirk his responsibility through self-alienation. After all, the party is for all,” he said in the report.
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