By Alan Ting
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- Is the MCA headed for fresh polls or an early party elections once the "Greater Unity Plan" (GUP) is fully implemented and the internal bickering subsides over the next six months to one year?
Some political analysts and party insiders believe this is going to be so, saying indications are strong that things are moving in that direction because massive and speedy efforts have been taken to push for direct elections.
The party is only scheduled to have its triennial elections in 2011, having held the last one in October last year.
The direct election is particularly for the positions of party president, deputy president and state chairmen and deputy chairmen, but debate continues on whether the direct elections should also cover the Central Committee (CC) positions.
One thing is for sure. The party has set up a task force to look into the matter, and the CC meeting on Wednesday will discuss it at length.
Party sources said that once the final proposal is adopted by the CC, an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) is likely to be called before the end of the second quarter of next year to approve all the necessary amendments to the party constitution.
When the proposal is approved by the party's central delegates, it is highly likely that the party might hold fresh elections before the end of next year, during its general assembly, and use the new direct elections system, said a party leader who did not want to be identified.
Another indication of fresh polls or an early election is seen in a statement made by party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, who has hinted strongly that he would allow party elections but on the condition that the party attains stability first.
Ong, who is the transport minister, reportedly said that in order to achieve this, the party must follow through with the GUP launched on Oct 22 to unite the warring factions.
"This process must take place. If fresh polls are to be held, they cannot be held immediately. The party must be stabilised first. If you want fresh polls, we need a peaceful environment so that our comrades can vote with peace of mind," he was reported as saying in an interview with Malaysiakini, the online news portal.
Ong had also said that the plan to eventually hold fresh polls was his response to the outcome of the Oct 10 EGM.
Deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek also gave a strong indication of fresh elections after the implementation of the GUP when he said he did not rule out such a possibility over the next few months.
Dr Chua, who chairs the 12-member GUP task force, said: "We never said we can't have direct elections. We also never said we can't have fresh polls. But we want to stabilise the party first, and the fresh polls may follow."
"Maybe, we will hold the fresh polls through direct elections after six months; this is more democratic," he said, adding that the current priority is to implement the GUP.
If the turnout at yesterday's briefing is any indicator, then the party is most likely headed in that direction.
Grassroots leaders from 155 of the 191 party divisions attended yesterday's briefing and pledged their support for the GUP.
However, some members aligned to vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai are pushing for an EGM on Nov 28.
Liow has claimed that the gathering of party divisional leaders yesterday did not reflect the views of the grassroots as decisions were made by some leaders only and not by all the delegates.
While Ong and Dr Chua seem to have passed the first hurdle in getting party members to support the GUP, they still need to watch the Nov 28 EGM called by Liow's faction because a high turnout at the second EGM will definitely throw a spanner into the efforts to have a direct elections system.
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- Is the MCA headed for fresh polls or an early party elections once the "Greater Unity Plan" (GUP) is fully implemented and the internal bickering subsides over the next six months to one year?
Some political analysts and party insiders believe this is going to be so, saying indications are strong that things are moving in that direction because massive and speedy efforts have been taken to push for direct elections.
The party is only scheduled to have its triennial elections in 2011, having held the last one in October last year.
The direct election is particularly for the positions of party president, deputy president and state chairmen and deputy chairmen, but debate continues on whether the direct elections should also cover the Central Committee (CC) positions.
One thing is for sure. The party has set up a task force to look into the matter, and the CC meeting on Wednesday will discuss it at length.
Party sources said that once the final proposal is adopted by the CC, an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) is likely to be called before the end of the second quarter of next year to approve all the necessary amendments to the party constitution.
When the proposal is approved by the party's central delegates, it is highly likely that the party might hold fresh elections before the end of next year, during its general assembly, and use the new direct elections system, said a party leader who did not want to be identified.
Another indication of fresh polls or an early election is seen in a statement made by party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, who has hinted strongly that he would allow party elections but on the condition that the party attains stability first.
Ong, who is the transport minister, reportedly said that in order to achieve this, the party must follow through with the GUP launched on Oct 22 to unite the warring factions.
"This process must take place. If fresh polls are to be held, they cannot be held immediately. The party must be stabilised first. If you want fresh polls, we need a peaceful environment so that our comrades can vote with peace of mind," he was reported as saying in an interview with Malaysiakini, the online news portal.
Ong had also said that the plan to eventually hold fresh polls was his response to the outcome of the Oct 10 EGM.
Deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek also gave a strong indication of fresh elections after the implementation of the GUP when he said he did not rule out such a possibility over the next few months.
Dr Chua, who chairs the 12-member GUP task force, said: "We never said we can't have direct elections. We also never said we can't have fresh polls. But we want to stabilise the party first, and the fresh polls may follow."
"Maybe, we will hold the fresh polls through direct elections after six months; this is more democratic," he said, adding that the current priority is to implement the GUP.
If the turnout at yesterday's briefing is any indicator, then the party is most likely headed in that direction.
Grassroots leaders from 155 of the 191 party divisions attended yesterday's briefing and pledged their support for the GUP.
However, some members aligned to vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai are pushing for an EGM on Nov 28.
Liow has claimed that the gathering of party divisional leaders yesterday did not reflect the views of the grassroots as decisions were made by some leaders only and not by all the delegates.
While Ong and Dr Chua seem to have passed the first hurdle in getting party members to support the GUP, they still need to watch the Nov 28 EGM called by Liow's faction because a high turnout at the second EGM will definitely throw a spanner into the efforts to have a direct elections system.
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