Rep: Old folks need family more than gifts

Rep: Old folks need family more than gifts

http://berjaya.com.my/210105thestar.htm

KUANTAN: While companies and associations show respect for the senior citizens through contributions during the festive seasons, more should be done by their family members especially their children and grandchildren.

Ti presenting an ang pow to a senior citizen at the Sports Toto programme.

Teruntum assemblyman Datuk Ti Lian Ker said it was evident that money and food items were not as welcome as attention and concern shown by loved ones.

“Our annual contributions must not be just a public relations gesture but more importantly, a sign of respect, love and concern for the elderly, which they value more than money, clothes and foodstuff,” he added.

Ti was speaking to media organisations after presenting ang pows and hampers to some 400 senior citizens of various races at Berjaya Megamall here recently in conjunction with the impending Chinese New Year.

The items were sponsored by Sports Toto (M) Sdn Bhd, which is into its 18th year in bringing cheer and smiles to senior citizens nationwide.

Sports Toto also sponsored ang pows and mini hampers to 650 senior citizens in Malacca. The gifts were distributed by state executive councillor Datuk Wira Poh Ah Tiam on Monday.

Sports Toto Malaysia Sdn Bhd Manager (Southern Region) Steven Lim said it was an annual event by the company under its “Giving Something Back To Society” charity programme.

“We wish to bring some Chinese New Year cheer to the needy senior citizens including the non-Chinese,” he said.

DAP can’t stand up to PAS on council polls pledge, says Ti

Monday December 28, 2009
DAP can’t stand up to PAS on council polls pledge, says Ti
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/12/28/nation/5373878&sec=nation

PETALING JAYA: The DAP’s failure to deliver its promise of bringing back local council elections shows that the party does not have the political muscle to deal with PAS, which is not in favour of the agenda.

MCA central committee member Datuk Ti Lian Ker, taking a swipe at Pakatan Rakyat parties in his blog, said the DAP’s failure to fulfil its election promise had been expected and described it as a PAS “victory” over DAP.

“The DAP cannot and will not stand up to PAS since DAP needs PAS much more than PAS needs them,” he said in his blog posting at tilianker.blogspot.com yesterday.

Ti added that PAS had slowly and conscientiously asserted its political will over DAP.

“PAS’ political psyche as the ‘big brother’ is latent and potent, lurking to burst out in the open,” he said.

He added that it was now finally revealed that DAP and PKR were merely posturing to please civil activists to gain popularity and win votes.

He said the DAP was not as combative as it claimed to be and had “kow-towed” to PAS in a miserable manner.

“At least the MCA does not make promises it cannot keep. The MCA has played its role as a moderating force against extremism and radicalism,” Ti said.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng recently said Pakatan parties were not against the idea of local council elections but had reached “an understanding” that the measure advocated now was to build up transparent local authorities to serve the people well.

Lim said the decision to scrap the idea of local council elections saw strong views from all parties concerned but the issue was ironed out by way of a consensus.

Pakatan, in its 2008 election manifesto to the people, promised to hold local council elections if it came into power.

Related Story:
Coming unstuck over council polls

No MCA polls in sight as quit deadline lapses

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/2mc-2/Article/index_html

2009/12/27

B. Suresh Ram and Shuhada Elis

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dec 25 deadline for MCA central committee members to tender their resignations has come and gone. And from the looks of it, fresh elections are unlikely. Although secretary-general Datuk Wong Foon Meng has remained tight-lipped, it is understood that there have been fewer than 21 resignations.

Fresh elections would have to be called if there were 21 or more resignations.

It is also unclear whether party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who are both supportive of fresh elections, have tendered their resignations.

The next course of action will be decided by the Special Committee on Party Re-elections, which is chaired by Dr Chua. But it appears that the status quo is likely to stay.

"If there is no solution, then CC members have to serve their terms till 2011," said a party source.

The source revealed that many of the CC members did not want to quit after holding their posts for just over a year.

"They fought hard to win. And they do not see why they should betray the delegates who voted them in. Besides, quitting gives the impression that they were listening to outsiders," said the source.

Wong said the special committee would convene a meeting as soon as possible to come up with a solution to the imbroglio.

Wong declined to reveal the names of CC members who had tendered their resignations, saying "he did not want to cause confusion".

Former MCA secretary-general Tan Sri Ting Chew Peh said many had expected that the majority of CC members would not resign as they were elected for a three-year term last year.

"CC members should work together for the next 11/2 years until the next party elections."

The former housing and local government minister said there was no point pushing for fresh elections just to get rid of "one or two persons" in the party.

"Fresh elections may sound nice but the factions should not use this for personal interest.

"If they still go on (about the elections), they will be rejected by the people."

He described the en bloc resignations of the faction led by vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai as wayang kulit (shadow play).

CC member Datuk Ti Lian Ker said the party should not let a minority or internal factionalism continue to dictate it.

"The people are tired, and fed up with the bickering in MCA, perpetuated by a minority whose sole purpose is to climb up the political ladder," said the Kuantan division chief.

He said the faction must know how to put aside their differences and work as a team, just like Ong and Chua.

Political analysts, however, said the status quo would not be in the best interest of the party.

Universiti Sains Malaysia's Assoc Prof Dr P. Sivamurugan said if the situation in MCA remained as it is, the party might not be in a position to serve the people as Ong, Dr Chua and Liow could not work on the same platform.

"Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak should urge all factions to end the crisis."

Sivamurugan said it was best for Ong, Dr Chua and Liow to resign and allow fresh elections as it was the only way to solve the crisis.

"If the status quo remains, in six months there will be another crisis and it will be too late for BN to save MCA."

Universiti Kebangsaan Malay-sia's Prof Datuk Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin said fresh party polls was the only solution for the conflict-ridden leadership of MCA.

"MCA is approaching what can be called 'a failed party' situation."

Most CC members not quitting

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/6SEM/Article/index_html

2009/12/24

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai's attempt to pave way for fresh elections may fail as there are not enough resignations by central committee (CC) members ahead of the deadline tomorrow. Besides the resignations by 13 CC members, including Liow's on Dec 15, nobody else has decided to quit as of yesterday.

The party constitution requires 21 CC members to resign to support fresh polls.

CC member Datuk Ti Lian Ker said as they were responsible for the party, CC members could not simply bow to any external pressure.

"The action by Liow contradicts the image of MCA as an independent, sovereign and 'self-rule' political party because Liow was perceived to be acting in the interest of forces outside the party.

"Other CC members (who did not tender their resignations) are angry with Liow's high-profile political drama in Parliament ," he said, adding that the action was irresponsible.

The 13 CC members had handed their resignation letters to party secretary-general Datuk Wong Foon Meng at Parliament and later held a press conference to explain their actions.

Liow, who is the health minister, had said that the resignations were necessary to resolve the leadership crisis in the party.

Bernama reported Wong as saying that the CC members who had not tendered their resignations could do so at any time, but issued a reminder on tomorrow's deadline.

He said the party constitution did not specifically mention the need of the deadline, but it would facilitate the party leadership to make necessary follow-up if the CC members submitted the letters by tomorrow.

He was met in Parliament after receiving a courtesy call from the Grand Mufti of Kazakhstan, Absattar Derbisali.

Besides Liow, others who have tendered their resignations are Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Wee Jeck Seng, Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung, Datuk Wong Mook Leong, Tan Kok Hong, Lee Wei Kiat, Datuk Yu Chok Tow, Wong Nai Chee, Senator Datuk Yeow Chai Thiam, Datuk Hoh Khai Mun, Datuk Liew Yuen Keong, Datuk Edward Khoo Keok Hai and Senator Datuk Alex Wong Siong Hwee.

Thursday December 24, 2009

Call to probe MCA leaders’ roles in PKFZ

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/12/24/nation/5361115&sec=nation

PETALING JAYA: Investigations should be carried out on any MCA leader past or present who could be involved in the Port Klang Free Zone, a party central committee member said.

Datuk Ti Lian Ker said it would be in the interest of commitment, accountability and transparency to establish the “involvement or non-involvement of all MCA past and present leaders in the PKFZ billion-dollar scandal.”

“It has been said many politicians were on the payroll of the beneficiaries of the PKFZ politico-business bosses,” he said in his latest blog posting yesterday.

Ti said there was a very strong accusation in the Internet that an MCA up-and-coming politician was involved in the PKFZ scandal.

“The public are now looking at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission with regard to a letter circulating in the cyber world of the direct involvement of a deputy minister in the PKFZ scandal,” he said.

The letter said a company in which the deputy minister had shares did consultancy for Wijaya Baru Sdn Bhd on the feasibility of a new port facility on reclaimed land at the mouth of Selat Lumut in Port Klang in 2006.

Wijaya Baru is the parent company of Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd.

The letter also alleged that several big names had worked with the company in connection with a piece of land adjacent to the PKFZ.

The letter also claimed that the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the MACC were now studying seven boxes of documents seized from the Port Klang Authority’s office on Dec 4 to determine to what extent the deputy minister had breached the Official Secrets Act by acting on classified information.

It added that “high-placed sources” said the said person would be charged for “economic plunder and grand larceny in the first two weeks of the new year.

It also said the deputy minister’s earlier denial of links with Kuala Dimensi chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing has turned out to be not true.

The deputy minister could not be reached for comment.

Jangan buang masa - Lian Ker

ARKIB : 26/12/2009

Jangan buang masa - Lian Ker

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=1226&pub=utusan_malaysia&sec=Politik&pg=po_05.htm&arc=hive

KUALA LUMPUR 25 Dis. - Tiga belas ahli Jawatankuasa Pusat (CC) MCA yang mahu pemilihan semula parti diadakan, disaran jangan membuang masa dengan terus bermain drama sebaliknya perlu kembali bersatu demi masa depan MCA dan Barisan Nasional (BN).

Salah seorang ahli CC MCA, Datuk Ti Lian Ker berkata, gesaan beliau itu berdasarkan keyakinannya bahawa tiada lagi ahli CC lain yang berminat untuk meletakkan jawatan.

Jelasnya, 13 ahli CC itu perlu menerima hakikat bahawa mereka adalah kumpulan minoriti di dalam jawatankuasa CC MCA.

''Saya minta mereka semua jangan mengeruhkan lagi keadaan, ketepikan agenda peribadi dan utamakan kepentingan parti,'' katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia hari ini.

MCA rivals should have worked together

MCA rivals should have worked together

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/120234

Dec 20, 09 1:53pm

MCA's warring factions should have worked together in unison, quietly ironing out differences and agreeing to the approaches towards fresh elections without compromising or breaching the
sanctity and supremacy of the party constitution, says MCA central committee (CC) member Ti Lian Ker.

He claims this did not happen, however, when some CC members "hijacked" and "disrupted" the functions of the party's special committee by tendering an insufficient number of resignations.

The special committee had been set up by the CC, the party's decision-making body, to work out a solution for the party to hold fresh polls.

Writing in his blog, Ti says this was tantamount to obstructing the Greater Unity Plan (GUP).

With discipline, Ti says, all the CC members could have waited for the recommendations of the special committee and submitted their resignations together to pave the way for fresh elections in the interest of the party in due time.

Last Wednesday, MCA vice-president Liow Tiong Lai and 12 other party leaders submitted undated letters of resignation as CC members to party secretary-general Wong Foon Ming in a move to enable fresh elections to be held to resolve the party's leadership crisis.

Their resignations were only to take effect if they met the requirement of two-thirds, or 21, of the 31 CC members having to resign before the elections could be held.

Besides Liow, the others who tendered their resignations include Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Wee Jeck Seng, Deputy Higher Education Minister Hou Kok Chung, veteran CC member Wong Mook Leong and vice-president Tan Kok Hong.

Some elected ordinary CC members who also submitted their undated resignation letters are Lee Wei Kiat, Yu Chok Tow, Wong Nai Chee, Yeow Chai Thiam, Hoh Khai Mun, Liew Yuen Keong, Edward Khoo Keok Hai and Alex Wong Siong Hwee.

Long-term strategy

Meanwhile, the former state assemblyperson for Pulau Manis in Pahang, Mohd Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz, says the Barisan Nasional (BN) should adopt a better and long-term strategy in handling the ongoing MCA crisis.

Mohd Ariff, better known as 'sakmongkol AK47' in the blogosphere, says MCA must be seen as a dependable, rational and stable representative of the Chinese community.

At the very elementary level, the MCA must be allowed to carry out measures it sees as necessary, he writes in his blog.

Mohd Ariff says the MCA has the legitimate desire to be seen as the representative voice of the Chinese and it expects this self image to be appreciated and approved by others (in the BN).

Recently, Umno, the senior member of the BN coalition, has been holding talks with MCA leaders in a bid to help resolve the ongoing leadership crisis.

Political observers believe that Umno's concern is understandable in that it wants the MCA, in particular, and the BN, in general, to be able to put their house in order quickly so as to concentrate on the crucial "bread and butter" issues facing the people instead of being embroiled in a political conflict and be left in political limbo.

They are of the opinion that BN leaders and party workers should waste no time to better explain to the people the efforts and benefits of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) and the progress achieved so far under the National Key Result Areas (NKRAs) by the various government departments and agencies. -Bernama