MCA president will not defend seat

Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek will not defend his presidency in the MCA party election this year after the party succumbed to another disastarous outing in the 13th General Election yesterday.

He reiterated the party would not take up any government post, either federal or state, as was decided unanimously by the party's extraordinary meeting last year.

"As the president of MCA, I have to stabilise the party under this difficult condition. I will convene a meeting of the Presidential Council and Central Committee to deliberate a direction of the party, following the dismal results.

"At the same time, I have decided not to seek re-election in the upcoming party election," he said in a statement here today.

The second largest Barisan Nasional component party only won seven parliamentary and 11 state seats after contesting in 37 parliamentary and 90 state seats.

The party also saw the opposition making inroads into its fortress in Johor.

It was even worse than the 2008 General Election when the party won 15 parliamentary and 32 state seats out of 40 parliamentary and 90 state seats contested.

Dr Chua, who took over the party reins in 2010 after a tumultuous leadership strife, said MCA respected and accepted the decision of the voters.

He said the election results clearly showed that voting was made along ethnic lines, with the Chinese believing that the DAP could change the government.

"Voting the Chinese out of the state and federal government will not help to solve dissatisfaction with the government.

"However, I firmly believe that the prime minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) will continue with its (government's) inclusive policy and continue to look after the interests of the Chinese community, particularly on Chinese education, culture and economics," he added.

He said MCA would also support Najib's call for national reconciliation.