MCA Polls: Live updates - Soi Lek is new MCA president

7pm: Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek is the new MCA president.

The former MCA deputy president polled 901 votes. His nearest challenger was Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting, who received 833 votes while incumbent party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat garnered 578 votes.

Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek celebrates with his wife Datin Seri Wong Sek Hin after winning the MCA presidency.

Dr Chua says he would be “inclusive” and practise collective leadership as the new party president.

Deputy: In the straight fight for the deputy presidency, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai won over Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha. Liow received 1,171 votes to Kong’s 1,106 votes.

Vice-presidents: Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen (1528 votes), Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai (1469), Datuk Chor Chee Heung (1202) and Gan Ping Sieu (1202).

Central Committee Members
1. Lee Chee Leong - 1,430
2. Hou Kok Chung - 1,312
3. Heng Seai Kie - 1,267
4. Wee Jeck Seng - 1,175
5. Toh Chin Yaw - 1,142
6. Tee Siew Kiong - 1,141
7. Gan Tian Loo - 1,117
8. Tan Chai Ho - 1,114
9. Ong Ka Chuan - 1,104
10. Lee Wei Kiat - 1,100
11. Loh Seng Kok - 1,086
12. Hoh Khai Mun - 1,077
13. Liew Yuen Keong - 1,059
14. Tan Cheng Liang - 1,054
15. Koh Nai Kwong - 1,040
16. Por Choo Chor - 1,037
17. Tan Ken Ten - 999
18. Kong Sing Chu - 981
19. Chong Itt Chew - 975
20. Yoo Wei How - 974
21. Tan Ah Eng - 969
22. Wong Koon Mun - 953
23. Ti Lian Ker - 929
24. Teh Kim Poo - 864
25. Chuah Poh Khiang - 851

6.30pm: Incumbent MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat arrives at Wisma MCA to await the election results.

6pm: Candidates start arriving at Wisma MCA. Presidential candidate Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting arrives with deputy president hopeful Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai arrive at about 6.10pm.

5.45pm: There is a tie for the 25th Central Committee post (only 25 seats are available). Gan Hong Su and Datuk Alex Chuah Poh Khiang are called to the stage. They ask for a recount.

5.15pm: MCA delegates file back into Wisma MCA to await election results.

Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen arrives at the party Hq to say thanks to her supporters, an indication that she may have won her bid for a vice-president’s post.

5.10pm: Vote-counting for vice-president posts ends, counting for the deputy president post begins. Some scrutineers also start counting votes for the keenly contested three-way fight for the president’s post.

Some candidates for the 25 Central Committee posts are seen shaking hands with their supporters, who applaud, shortly after CC vote-count completed. There were 86 candidates who contested for the posts.

4.30pm: Vote-counting for Central Committee members end. Tallying for the four vice-presidential posts begins.

3.40pm: Scores of supporters are at the second and third floors of Wisma MCA witnessing the counting inside Dewan San Choon via live telecast. The crowd is expected to grow as results time draws near.

2.00pm: Counting begins.

1.50pm: 2,315 ballot papers were given out. This means that three delegates out of the 2,318 who registered did not collect the ballot papers. The ballot papers are now being given out to the scrutineers

1.30pm: Ong Tee Keat and his team leave Nikko Hotel. He is limping, not fully recovered from his Achilles' heels operation. He has skipped physiotherapy for two weeks.

1.25pm: Ballot boxes being opened and the ballot papers being separated by MCA staff

1.20pm: MCA administration chief Lim Chin Hai says scrutineers have been divided into 24 groups. They are not allowed to leave the hall until counting ends. The counting will start with central committee posts. The tally for the president’s post will be the last one.

1.15pm: Yik goes up to the stage

1.00pm: Scrutineers asked to put their handphones in envelopes. MCA staff will hold the handphones for them until counting ends.

12.40pm: Chua Soi Lek, Loh Seng Kok, Tee Siew Keong and Chong Itt Chew leave Nikko Hotel after lunch. Kong Cho Ha has just left. Donald Lim is still in the hotel. So are Ong Tee Keat and his people.

12.30pm: EGM is adjourned.

12.15pm: Voting process ends. The ballot boxes are being sealed. Counting to begin after 1pm.

12.05pm: Central delegates have finished voting. Now the scrutineers, who are also central delegates, are voting.

11.30am: Ka Ting says MCA elections are smooth and orderly and that he is happy with the delegates’ turnout. He says it shows that all delegates value unity and harmony.

Hundreds of campaigners who thronged the hallways leave, leaving the party HQ seemingly deserted.

11.10am: Ka Ting leaves the hall after casting his vote. He will return after the tally to hear the results later today.

10.31am: Voting begins.

10.30am: Registration ends. 2,318 (97.52%) out of 2,377 central delegates have registered.

10.08am: Yik calls party general assembly to order. Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon appointed Chief Scrutineer by the election steering committee. There are 48 scrutineers.

10.06am: Yik said 2,316 (97.43%) out of 2,377 central delegates had registered to vote by 10am.

10.05am: Media asked to leave the voting hall. Speaker Datuk Yik Phooi Hong takes the stage to start the EGM and polls.

10.00am: Central delegates taking their seats.

KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA elections is on today and all eyes are on the three-cornered fight for the presidency that is too close to call.

Today, 2377 delegates will make the decision that will chart the future course of the party.

BN parties defend Bukit Gantang Chinese community over loss

Senior Barisan Nasional component parties defended today the Chinese community in Bukit Gantang, saying piecemeal offerings should not be seen as a guarantee of votes. The MCA and Gerakan both said the coalition’s failure to wrest the seat from the opposition could not be pinned down to any one reason.

The two parties were commenting on a statement by deputy prime minister and Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who said the dip in Chinese votes seemed to imply that “there is no appreciation for what we (BN) have done”.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, on Saturday also blamed Umno’s coalition partners, saying Umno could no longer rely on the MCA, Gerakan and MIC to regain the support of the non-Malays.

Gerakan deputy president Chang Ko Youn said yesterday that while it was quite obvious they lost out on Chinese votes, it was wrong to say the community was ungrateful to the BN for its contributions.

Admitting there had been mistakes on their part in strategising the BN’s campaign in Bukit Gantang, he pointed out that the non-Malay community’s dissatisfaction was not something that could be resolved with campaign promises and one-off allocations.
“We shouldn’t be looking for a scapegoat. What is more important is to find the reason why the anger of the non-Malays has not subsided since one year ago.

“We must realise that last-minute work is not effective anymore. It was too little, too late, and we need to find more continuous and long-term solutions,” he said.

MCA spokesman and central committee member Lee Wei Kiat, in a statement, said a RM1 million allocation could not be expected to sway the votes of the non-Malays, who, along with the Malays, were frustrated over numerous issues.

Among these, he said, were lop-sided decisions in licensing and diesel subsidies for fishermen in Kuala Sepetang, unresolved status of village land ownership in Perak and the problems in the implementation of the New Economic Policy.

MCA vice-president Datuk Kong Cho Ha said Muhyiddin should not draw such a conclusion merely based on the results of one or two by-elections.

MIC secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam declined to comment on the issue when met in Malacca.

NEP

by DPM "Liberalisation of the NEP will only be implemented when the bumiputras feel more confident and competent."

When will it ever be the right time?

To MCA, this topic is top on your agenda. You were brazened with your words. Now where is the action? Wait another 51 years? Let me assure you, this time the cows won't come home!

MCA + Gerakan ?

I don't see on why if MCA merge with Gerakan willl be a meaningless move as stated by LGE? I think that it will be the stepping stone on creating a 1 single party instead of branches off into smaller party like right now?

what do you think??

MCA Election - Start

Yes, the MCA elections has come. From now on we shall be able to watch with glee how certain leaders of this party throw dirt on their comrades and then watch how the other comrades throw more dirt back.

It is hilarious to see how the MCA leaders still think that nothing has changed. That the Chinese community is still backing them.

This reminds me of Bertolucci's "The Last Emperor". When the already dethroned Emperor Pu Yi, after sensing some trouble asked one of his eunuchs what was happening outside the Palace Walls, the eunuch answered : "Nothing has changed Your Majesty". Just like in the MCA, the MCA top guns acting out their roles as eunuchs to the grassroots would tell them, "Nothing has changed, by the next elections, we will take back what we lost". My question is, "With what?"

Well, a lot has changed MCA ! Just open your eyes and ears and you shall see.

Some MCA leaders still think that by keeping mum on current issues and just by minding their own usual good for nothing business in the party, the problem will go away and they would eventually return to the norm.

You see, some of these smarties are still in dreamland.

I have heard how MCA leaders speak in functions. They just blabber on about how the MCA is doing everything in the name of unity. Just like how a kindergarten teacher would speak to his/her kindergarten kids.

They, the MCA people has no idea that when you go up on stage to speak, you speak of something that is of importance to the audience and not speak for the sake of speaking. By this public display we can see how the party is not insync with current developments.

The party simply has no idea how to steer the Chinese community into the future. It simply has no idea how to protect Chinese rights in the midst of a multi racial scenario. It just listen to what UMNO has to say and then just explain to the Chinese why they must listen to UMNO.

If you ask me now, I take back what I said earlier about the need for MCA to leave the BN.

If you ask me now, I think the MCA should just desolve and forget about Malaysian politics since you are of no real relevance anymore to the Chinese community when even a Malay like Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim can appreciate more than you about what the Chinese community needs in this country.

MCA you are defunct!

Malaysia Politics TURN

Some 30 per cent of active MCA members will leave the party if Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting refuses to quit as president, the head of legal advisers at the MCA public services and complaints department, Datuk Theng Book, has claimed. The infighting would cause many to be angry and cross over to other political parties, Theng said after joining four other MCA leaders on Sunday in calling for Ong’s resignation.

The “Saving MCA” campaign, which began in Selangor, is part of road shows nationwide aimed at pressuring Ong to step aside.

“Once he steps down , we will stop. We are not power crazy or looking for government posts,” said Theng Book, who is also the chairman of MCA Puchong Youth division.

Datuk Dr Yap Yit Thong, former Lumut MP and a leader in the Saving MCA pro-tem committee, said Ong should bear the full responsibility for MCA’s “near annihilation” as he decided the list of election candidates on his own, without consulting or listening to other party members.
“Under the pretext of rejuvenation, he fielded over 50 per cent of new candidates,” he said.

Yap, who is also Ipoh Timur MCA division vice-chairman, also called for MCA Perak chief Datuk Ong Ka Chuan to bear responsibility for losing Perak, saying that the party could have won the Teja and Malim Nawar state seats, if not for the poor choice of candidates.

Among those at the event were former Ipoh Timur MP and Ipoh Timur MCA deputy chairman Datuk Thong Fah Chong, Petaling Jaya Utara MCA division deputy chairman Lim Choon Kim and former division chairman of MCA Petaling Jaya Utara, Wong Leong.