MCA veterans urges Dr Chua to step down immediately

A group of MCA veteran leaders has strongly urged party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek to step down immediately in taking full responsibility over the party's poor showing in Sunday's 13th general election (GE13).

Confessing that they were saddened and embarrassed by the party’s performance in GE13, the group also called for the election of a new party leader to decide on the party’s future, especially on the issue of Chinese representation in the government.

The group of 15 MCA elders comprising former presidents Tan Sri Lee San Choon and Tan Koon Swan, former deputy president Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek, former Senate President Tan Sri Michael Chen, former Health Minister Tan Sri Lee Kim Sai and former Chief Administrative Director of MCA Tan Sri Wong Seah Wah.

Others are former Penang MCA chief Tan Sri Dr Sak Cheng Lum, former treasurer general Tan Sri Lau Yin Pin, Datuk Jimmy Lau, former presidential council member Datuk Fu Ah Kiow, Datuk Wong See Chin, Datuk Wong Kam Hong, Datuk Freddie Long, Datuk Seri Kee Yong Wee and Wang Choon Wing.

"We are gently asking our president to kindly step down and allow new leaders to reform, revive and resuscitate the party.

"We have no personal agenda here nor are we against Dr Chua personally. We are just appealing for the sake of our love for party and the community," said the group spokesman Tan Koon Swan, in a joint news conference, here, today.

MCA suffered one of its worst electoral outing when it only managed to cling to seven Parliamentary and 11 state seats GE13, reduced by more than half that it had won in 2008.

Meanwhile, at an extra-ordinary general meeting held in 2011, the party passed a resolution that it would not accept any government posts should it perform worse than in the 12th general election in 2008.

In 2008, it won 15 parliamentary and 32 state seats, out of a total of 130 seats contested.

"It really breaks my heart when I see in the news about members taking down their service centre signboards. Therefore, he (Dr Chua) must step down immediately and let the central committee through the party constitution to decide on a new party leader and towards the revival of the party.