MCA Crisis: Ong and Chua pledge to work together

MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and his deposed deputy Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek have agreed to work together as a team to unite and strengthen the crisis-plagued MCA, the second largest component party in Barisan Nasional.

He also revealed that Chua has agreed to work with him "without any pre-conditions."

"This is the time to forgive and forget” and to look at the bigger picture of what is good for the party and not for individuals," he told a press conference this afternoon.

Describing the truce as the "greater unity plan", Ong said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has been briefed about the peace plan adding that the Prime Minister who is also Barisan Nasional Chairman has given his blessing and support.

Ong who met the Prime Minister last night denied that the peace plan came about as a result of pressure from Datuk Seri Najib.

However, there was talk that the new peace plan was brokered by Datuk Seri Najib during the meeting he had with Ong and Chua last night.

MCA crisis ended for good of the party - The Sun Online

By Giam Say Khoon

Kuala Lumpur (Oct 22, 2009): Key players in rival MCA factions today ended the year-long leadership crisis for the greater good of the party.

Proving the adage that politics is the art of making the impossible, possible and vice-versa, party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and former deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek today presented a united front for the party with a pledge to work together without any pre-conditions to strengthen and unite the party.

"We gathered today to implement the greater unity plan which needs the cooperation of all quarters. Positive engagement among the leadership will continue," Ong told a press conference at MCA headquarters this afternoon.

"I have accepted the suggestion by newly elected deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai to work together closely for the greater good of the party," he said.

"In the light of the present scenario, I will talk to party secretary-general Datuk Wong Foon Meng about reviewing the call for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM)," he said.

He added that the 'greater unity plan' had received the blessing and support of Prime inister and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, who has een briefed on the latest developments.

Saying it was "time to forgive and forget and look at the bigger picture of what was good, not for individuals but for the party," Ong pledged to reach out to all leaders and strive to form an all inclusive MCA that would include all factions and personalities who can contribute a team.

"With a unified MCA, the leaders can now refocus their attention on strengthening the party to regain the confidence and trust of the Chinese community and Malaysians in general," he said.

Present at the press conference were Chua, Liow, Wong, party vice-presidents Datuk Kong Cho Ha and Dr Ng Yen Yen.

Asked what role Chua would be playing in the "united" party, Ong said it is will immature to preempt or make any conclusion.

However, he said the party has taken Chua’s support into account and when the party is ready to implement the greater unity plan, the voices of the delegates would be included.

"Today we are here to witness the beginning of integration process and this is one of the unfinished jobs that I mentioned earlier and we all know that we need to put in all commitment to make it work.

"I have been cautioned by many members of public that it is time to weigh between public trust in me and the personal pledge that I made earlier and I think in the name of public trust, it is only fair if I, in my capacity as the MCA president endeavour to live up to expectation of the people and party members," he said, adding that the party took cognisance of the Oct 10 EGM results.

The EGM held after Chua was suspended by the central committee (CC) for tarnishing the party image following his involvement in the sex DVD scandal, had passed a motion of no-confidence against Ong, reinstated Chua as party members but rejected him as the deputy president.

Although Ong had said that he would resign if any of the resolutions were passed, he had stayed on after the EGM and decided to call for another EGM to determine the need to call for a fresh party election.

The CC had later elected Liow to replace Chua, based on its interpretation of the EGM outcome in conjunction with the party constitution.

Most of the CC members had also tried to force Ong to step down but the bid failed as the constitution states that the president can only be removed with the support of two third of the 2,380 central delegates.

Elaborating on the greater unity plan, Ong said the plan is mainly to provide the platform for all quarters within the party to work together as a team cohesively. Asked if he and Chua can still work together after all animosity, the president said the question was raised based on personal observation.

"It is not that we did not have the opportunity to work together before; I am optimistic as well as hopeful that we are committed to the party's cause, and we will be able to work it out," he said.

To another question, Ong said it was unfair to assume that the latest development of the party was the result of Najib’s pressure.

Asked if he would keep his word to step down as party president, Ong said he had received calls, emails, text messages full of words of encouragement and open support from all walks of life in the past two weeks, and he took cognisance of surge of pervasive support that they all have unfinished job to do.

Chua, who sat next to both Ong and Liow, meanwhile said he accepted the results of the Oct 10 EGM.

However, he had requested a clarification on his party post with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) and is awaiting the reply. Continue here...