拿督斯里蔡细历医生文告/EGM on 28th November 2009

（吉隆坡26日讯）继廖派宣布取消1128特大，马华署理总会长拿督斯里蔡细历医生希望全体马华领袖和中委，能心虔志诚，互相尊重地讨论重选事宜。

他强调，要落实重选，则必须得到全体中委的合作。因为根据章程，至少须有三分之二的票选中委总辞，中委会才能进行重选。

“因此，我希望各位领袖能秉持爱党精神，在接下来的商讨过程中，互相尊重及配合，致力完成中委会重选的议程。”

蔡细历也对廖中莱等人取消特大的决定表示欢迎，他认为这是解决党内危机的良好开端。

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Following the announcement made by Datuk Liow Tiong Lai and his group to call off 1128 EGM, I hope that all MCA leaders and Central Committee members could be sincere and hold on to the spirit of mutual respect in discussing fresh party poll matters.

In order for fresh party poll to take place, it would have to obtain cooperation from all CC members. According to the party constitution, there must be at least two thirds of elected CC members resigning from their posts before any fresh election could be held.

Therefore, I hope that all MCA leaders could sit down in peace and discuss on fresh party election so that we could all work together towards a united MCA.

I also welcome Liow and his group’s decision to call off the EGM and I feel that this is a good start to resolve the party’s conflict.

Unity Is Neccessity, Not An Option For MCA -Chua

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- MCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek says that unity is not an option for MCA, but a necessity,and party leaders have to admit that internal strife in the past one year had paralysed the party, he said in an interview with Bernama.

He said: "If you want to talk about unity, one should not pursue (the rigid stance of) who is right and who is wrong as it would be endless."

He admitted that he was the cause of the Oct 10 extraordinary general meeting (EGM) because he was unhappy with certain party decisions.

But Dr Chua said much water had flowed under the bridge.

"Enough is enough. You just need to move forward," he said.

As leaders and members of a political party, he said there should be realisation that "we must work together".

He said there was greater awareness by president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat on this, and that "we should bury the hatchet."

"He and me (recently) sat down together to discuss how to make MCA more united and stable," he said.

Elaborating on the Greater Unity Plan (GUP), he said that it was important that there should be sincerity to make it work.

"No point of (just giving) lip service if you are not sincere and no mutual respect -- the respect that everyone has a role to play," he added.

"As a political party, one has to recognise that there would never be 100 per cent unity.

"As long as the majority are supportive of a particular or certain cause or supportive of the party's central leadership, then the party is united. There is always a small minority who is not happy.

"There is no secret weapon to achieve unity. We need to be united, strong and stable. Only then can we carry out our activities, only then can we win the trust and confidence of the rakyat," he said.

Dr Chua explained that the MCA, as a political party, depended on the people's support and therefore it cannot carry on as a piece of dead wood.

"We are all elected to serve (the people), not (the other way round) for the people to serve us."

Dr Chua said there was no doubt that after the Oct 10 EGM, another splinter group had emerged.

"But as far as the GUP is concerned, it would be have to be inclusive and this group of people should be included."

Asked if he and Ong had shut the door to this group, Dr Chua said the party welcomed anybody who could contribute to the unity and strength of the MCA.

He said the MCA top leadership would go down to states to explain about the GUP.

Asked on the Nov 28 EGM called by some CC members, Dr Chua said one could not call for an EGM while repeatedly saying that it was in the name of democracy when it was already discussed at the CC meeting of Nov 3 that the motion for it ran against the MCA's constitution.

"If you do something in the name of democracy but the party's constitution says that it is unconstitutional, then you open up an avenue for debate and this may cause greater disunity," he said.

He said the group concerned could be persistent to have an EGM on Nov 28 but the question remained whether there would be enough support.

"If their idea is just to hold fresh elections, the question will be whether it can be implemented or not.

"The party's constitution said that it can only hold fresh polls once in three years or when 2/3 of elected CC resigned. So the motion of Nov 28 EGM does not address this," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Direct Election For All CC Members, Not Just President - Dr Chua

From Bernama

By Alan Ting

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- MCA will likely adopt direct election for all the central committee (CC) positions instead of just the president and deputy president posts, said party deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

He said the direct election system, which was discussed during the "greater unity plan" (GUP) briefing to the party grassroots on Sunday, would allow the members at the branch and divisional levels to determine the party leadership.

"While the party has deliberated on direct presidential election, it's not just the president but the whole CC should be elected in the manner where more members can participate and decide on the leadership," he told Bernama Tuesday.

He said the party would adopt the Umno direct election method, which has broaden the voting right to some 140,000 party members, not just the party delegates, and is manageable and practical.

"Of course one method is using the party membership list. However, we feel that with one million members, the logistics involved can be huge. One million turnout is equivalent to one tenth of the number of voters in the general election."

Moreover, Dr Chua said, using the party membership list could create more controversies as the list might be disputed while the logistical requirement would lead to the issue of poor monitoring system.

"So, I'm more in favour for more people involved but it's manageable. One of the mechanisms considerd is the Umno method.

"We feel that it may also work for our party, not the two-tier system as suggested by some party leaders," he said.

Some party leaders have suggested that MCA adopt the two-tier election system where the posts of president, deputy president, state chairman and deputy state chairman are elected directly from the branch level, while the vice-president and other CC positions by the party delegates.

However, Dr Chua said the party had not come up with the final details on the system except some framework.

"When we had the unity briefing, we discussed it. Tomorrow, I will present it at the CC meeting," he added.

On fresh party polls, Dr Chua said there was no doubt that there was a need for a new mandate for the party leadership, but the question was the timing.

"The next party election is in 2011, which means we've got one and a half years from now. So, we need to get the system ready and amend the party constitution.

"Politics is not static. If the grassroots say we don't need fresh elections as the party is stable now, then it's well and good. But we must be prepared to face the grassroots, may be six or eight months down the line when the new model of electing the central leadership is put in place."

Dr Chua said the CC at its meeting tomorrow would also discuss funding for the divisions to carry out their activities after the party lost several state and parliamentary seats in the general election last year.

"We will discuss whether the funding should be based on the number of members in a division and whether the party has a state or parliamentary seat in the divisional area. If there is, then we should give such divisions more funding.

"However, if the MCA elected representative is a minister or state exco member, the party should not fund the division. Instead, they should help fund the divisional activities," he said.

-- BERNAMA

A Single Stream Education System

It is good that the Prime Minister is firm and clear on this issue, that the government will not implement an education system that divides the people. Until the people from various races are in the agreement, then the single stream system will not be implemented. The PM also reminded the rakyat that we should not be taken up by racist remarks made by any political leader since they do not necessarily reflect the views of the majority.

It is very simplistic to think that a single stream of education system will ensure racial interaction, harmony and unity. There are many countries where you have a single stream of education, but the people are as divisive as ever. Racial unity is a very complex issue that cannot be achieved just by implementing a single stream education system. Leaders who make such a call should be reminded that educational freedom is enshrined in the constitution and it is an inherent right of all Malaysians.

Right now, while there are various streams of education system, the curriculum are set by the Ministry of Education. The content of the various educational streams should instill nation building, mutual respect, tolerance and acceptance of the uniqueness of the diversity of races in this country. Government policies that are fair, equitable, democratic that will ensure confidence and trust in the government is important. No race should be marginalized or left out from the mainstream of development. Every group is entitled to share the expanding economic cake. Government should help on the needs basis.

The government can continue to assist the bumiputras who are in needs but non-bumis who are also in needs should receive help from the government. When every rakyat feels he is a stakeholder in sharing the expanding economic cake, then it is easier to achieve racial harmony and nation building.

To be fair, since Najib became the Prime Minister, he has courageously implemented many new measures to ensure that he walks the talk of Satu Malaysia. Meeting the needs and the expectation of the various races in a multiracial country like Malaysia is a mind-boggling task. Even the PR states are confronted with many problems of how to meet the needs of the various parties within the coalition.