MCA EGM: Liow safe from censure

MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has survived a motion to censure him at the party’s extraordinary general meeting today.

Delegates today rejected the motion, which called for the party to reprimand Liow for allegedly failing his role as the MCA general election preparation committee chairman.

The motion was also to to censure Liow for failing to accept collective decisions by the party, both actions which "triggered infighting and tarnished the party’s image".

As many as 54% or a total of 1190 delegates voted against the motion, with a majority of 225 votes, Speaker Datuk Yik Phooi Hoong announced.

Only 965 (44%) voted for the resolution while 34 were spoilt votes.

Meanwhile, the 2,199 delegates (92.2% of the total 2385 delegates) also voted on three other motions regarding MCA’s “no government posts” stand for faring badly in GE13.

On the second motion to revoke a 2011/2012 party resolution to now allow MCA members to take up Cabinet positions, 1090 voted against it while 1080 agreed for the motion to be passed.

However, the third and fourth motions, which was to allow members to take up other government positions, including Senatorship, Government-Linked Companies, state exco positions, and other positions "deemed essential to the party" were passed by the delegates.

The meeting started at about 10.30am and ended at 3pm.

There were calls for a debate before the proceeding but the committee disallowed it.

Meanwhile, MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said that the delegate's vote to reject the motion to censure him showed the maturity of the members.

This, he said, increases his chances to go for the president post in December.

Liow also vowed to continue his service within the party, urging all members to be united.

"It is time for us to close ranks regardless of our factions or groups each MCA member belong to because we need to cooperate, there should not be any discrimination. It is time we strengthened the party for MCA's future," said the Bentong MP.

Liow said that the grassroots voices have spoken on rejecting the motion to allow MCA members to take up Cabinet positions.

"There are many who feel that we should not be too hasty in asking for Minister posts but we wait for the election to continue and allow the new leaders to decide whether the members should be in the Cabinet or not, " he said.