KUALA LUMPUR:
Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai kept his presidential hopes alive for MCA's December polls after he narrowly escaped being censured by his party for dereliction of duties at today's extraordinary general meeting (EGM).
A total of 1,190 delegates voted against the resolution to censure the deputy president for refusing to accept the party's collective decisions. It meant that he could challenge his party boss, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, with whom he has been at odds, come December.
The same resolution also noted that not only had Liow, the former health minister, failed in his duties as last May’s general election preparation committee chief, but also that his recent actions had caused infighting and tarnished the party's image.
Altogether, 965 delegates voted for the resolution.
A chorus of hands: Delegates at the MCA extraordinary general meeting in Kuala Lumpur, today. - The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, October 20, 2013.Turnout was high, with 2,199 out of a possible 2,385 delegates, or 92.2%, attending the EGM in Kuala Lumpur.
In a surprising turn of events, the delegates voted against a resolution to allow the party leaders to take up Cabinet posts.
However, they were agreeable to party leaders being appointed to posts at state and local council levels.
A total of 1,090 delegates voted for their leaders to not take up ministers’ and deputy ministers’ posts, a sign that the grassroots are increasingly upset with the current row going on between its top leaders.
Only 1,080 delegates voted to reverse MCA's decision not to take up the federal government posts because it fared badly in the 13th general election.
In the May 5 general election, the senior BN Chinese party only managed to win seven of 37 federal seats and 11 of 90 state seats it contested.
For months now, Liow and party president Dr Chua have been embroiled in a war of words after the former's attack on his boss, calling him a "spin doctor", "tainted politician" and "dictator".
Dr Chua had offered to step down if Liow did as well – he said his deputy was “weak”, “indecisive” and “not fit” to lead the party.
Liow rejected that. – October 20, 2013.
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