‘Don’t start internal conflicts, stand united’

MCA secretary- general Kong Cho Ha makes the call for a united stand as the party ponders upon its disastrous GE results.

PETALING JAYA: MCA wants its members to stand united following their dismal performance in the recently concluded GE13.

“I believe that party members should not use the election results to launch attacks on individual leaders as this will further damage the party’s image and standing.

“I would like to remind MCA members that during these challenging times, MCA should avoid internal conflict lest the opposition uses the occasion to manufacture issues to further attack MCA,” said party secretary-general Kong Cho Ha.

He said that in a statement while announcing the party’s presidential council meeting that would be held on Saturday to conduct a post-mortem on MCA’s performance in GE13.

In the national polls conducted on Sunday, MCA only won seven out of 37 parliament seats and 11 out of 90 state seats it contested. Kong was among the losers, defeated in Lumut by PKR candidate Mohamad Imran Abd Hamid.

The party is also expected to decide on whether its MPs would take up positions in the cabinet.

On Tuesday, MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek reiterated his party’s stand that they would not take up any offer of federal and state government posts.

“This is in accordance with the unanimous decision approved at the party’s emergency general meeting and unanimously endorsed by the central committee.

“As 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 for the party following its dismal results,” he said.

He also announced that he would not seek a re-election to continue leading the party.

The stand appears to be a major stumbling block for the ruling coalition as there would be no Chinese representation in the Cabinet.