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KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), embroiled in a protracted leadership spat, was stunned by an en bloc resignation on Thursday of two-thirds of its elected Central Committee (CC) members, which forces the party to hold fresh elections within a month.
Dr Chua Soi Lek unexpectedly announced his resignation as the deputy president and a CC member, along with seven other CC members, at a news conference at the party headquarters, Bernama news agency reported.
He admitted that he had not informed party president Ong Tee Keat earlier of his decision to quit.
A faction led by vice-president Liow Tiong Lai, which has been pushing for fresh polls, delivered to the party headquarters on Thursday the quit letters of 13 CC members, taking the total resignations to 21 or two-thirds of the 31 elected CC members.
The party constitution provides for fresh polls to be held once two-thirds of the CC members resign.
Dr Chua said his resignation was in keeping with the promise he had made at the party's extraordinary general meeting last year where he had stated that fresh elections might have to be held to overcome the upheaval in the party.
"What's important is the party and not the leaders or their self interests," he said.
MCA, the country's largest Chinese political party, held its last polls in October 2008. Ong was voted in as the new president.
The MCA is the second largest component party in the National Front coalition which governs Malaysia, but suffered its worst ever election losses in 2008.
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin welcomed the decision by Dr Chua and seven central committee members to resign from their posts to pave the way for fresh party polls, saying it is a good move to strengthen the party.
He said it was Barisan Nasional's (BN) wish to see MCA regain its strength.
"The prime minister has always stressed that efforts (to strengthen the party) should be given attention as time is not on our side.
"Now that MCA has taken this initiative, I think it is a good move," he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the cabinet committee on broadband in Putrajaya.
Muhyiddin, who is BN deputy chairman, was asked to comment on the resignation of Dr Chua and seven others, which necessitates fresh elections in the party.
He said fresh polls would be the best way to resolve the long drawn-out leadership crisis in the party.
"This has also been the views of many and the latest development in MCA shows that the party is responding to these views.
"I leave it to leaders, suffice to say that we want to see a strong MCA because the party is a major partner in BN. I believe that the Chinese community also want to see a strong MCA," he said.
Asked whether MCA would emerge stronger after the elections, Muhyiddin said, "This is certainly what we want to see in MCA." - CNA/de
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