November 03, 2009 23:03 PM

Liow And Group Checkmated By Ong's Latest Move

By Alan Ting

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- It was another dramatic and extraordinary event at the Wisma MCA today when party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat unveiled his "greater unity plan", checkmating his opponents in the party.

Nobody knew that Ong had actually planned well for this CC meeting with another brillant political move that became known just a few hours before the meeting began.

The plan included the removal of four appointed CC members who went against him, namely party organising secretary Yoo Wei How, deputy national organising secretary Gan Hong Su, and ordinary appointed members, Datuk Chor Chee Hueng and Datuk Chai Kim Seng.

The notice of their removal was sent about 10.30am via SMS by Ong's political secretary Simon Lim before being followed by the official letters.

It was about the same time that the notice on the appointment of three new CC members were sent to Chua Tee Yong, Datuk Tan Ching Ming and Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai. All of them attended the CC meeting Tuesday.

An hour later, a letter from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) was received by Dr Chua Soi Lek, stating that he was still the party deputy president.

All these happened almost simultaneously, just before the CC meeting started at 1pm and caught almost everyone by surprise, including those in favour of fresh party elections.

Party sources said immediately after the CC meeting began, there were attempts to stop the president from explaining the unity plan by some of the CC members who requested for an EGM but were unsuccessful.

The sources said after Ong finished his explanation, 27 of the 44 CC members signed an undertaking to support the unity plan.

Only Ong himself, Dr Chua and vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen did not sign. The two men did not sign as they are party to the unity plan, while Dr Ng is away on the ministry's Scandinavian tourism promotion.

Dr Chua was sacked as deputy president on Aug 26, but the CC commuted the sacking to a four-year suspension. However, at the EGM held on Oct 10, Dr Chua was reinstated as party member but not as the No. 2. However, ROS today said he was still the deputy president.

Liow, who had been deputy president for only 19 days, refused to accept the ROS' decision, saying he "reserved the right" to appeal against the decision and might consider taking it to court.

Together with Wanita chief Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun and Youth chief Datuk Wee Ka Siong and some CC members, Liow left immediately when the CC meeting ended at 5.30pm without attending the press conference by Ong.

Instead, Liow and the group held another press conference in a different room.

Party sources said the killer move by Ong during the CC meeting was when he announced that there would not be another EGM as demanded by 16 CC members.

The EGM called by the 16 was found to be unconstitutional as the requisition was against Article 15 of the MCA constitution -- that the president has the ultimate power to make any party appointment.

"One of the motions submitted by the group of 16 is that they want to revoke the appointment made by the president after Oct 10. This is unconstitutional as the party constitution provides the president with wide powers related to any appointment in the party," said a party source.

Another killer move was by having 27 of the 44 CC members sign their backing for the "greater unity plan" which Ong hatched with Dr Chua. This automatically reduced the number of the requisitionists for the EGM from 16 to only 12.

This meant there were less than one-third as required under the party constitution.

With all these moves, it appears now that Liow is fighting a losing battle as Ong has strengthened his grip by appointing Dr Chua's supporters to the CC.

Party insiders said Ong was expected to appoint his trusted loyalists to a few key positions in the party in the next few days.

Among them are Wanita MCA secretary-general Heng Seai Kie who is expected to take over as new party information chief, and party veteran Lim Hong Sang who is tipped to be the new legal bureau chief.

-- BERNAMA

We provide (subscription-based) 
news coverage in our Newswire service.