MCA Youth leader urges Chua not to harm party

PETALING JAYA: Former MCA president Tan Sri Dr Chua Soi Lek should be careful with his words and actions to avoid “harming” the party again, said a party youth leader.

MCA members are saddened by what he said during a press conference on Thursday, said MCA Youth secretarygeneral Datuk Leong Kim Soon.

On Thursday, apart from announcing that he would not contest for the post of president, Dr Chua also called on the party’s three former Cabinet ministers and four former deputy ministers (from 2014 to May 2018) to stay out of the party elections in November.

His reasoning was that they were perceived as having failed to address a host of issues, singling out the 1MDB scandal, that eventually toppled the Barisan Nasional government in the May 9 polls.

Leong criticised Dr Chua for “always giving out highprofile statements during party election and often launches attacks on party members”.

“Therefore, Dr Chua’s criticisms prove that he cares more for the party election than the future of MCA.

“Not to mention that in the past four years, he has not suggested any constructive opinions to reform the party,”said Leong.

He added that Dr Chua’s remark about the party president and deputy president as among those with “political baggage” was an “injustice to the party” because the two men were not responsible for the previous government’s misdeeds.

“MCA had expressed many times that it has nothing to do with 1MDB and called for the law be applied on the offenders. Dr Chua had ignored the fact,” said Leong.

He added under the leadership of Liow, the party has succeeded in maintaining harmony and stability.

“Dr Chua’s accusation of Liow not performing well during his term is nonsense.

“Dr Chua should remember that under his leadership, MCA’s factional problem was wellknown.

“As a party member, Dr Chua has the right to support anyone to run for party election but my advice is that he ensures a smooth election for the love of the party,” said Leong.

He also cautioned that any unproven accusations would only deepen the party’s problems and was of no help at all in the effort to revitalise MCA.