Reconsider sacking

Ng Ling Fong

Aug 27, 09

12:32pm

Former MCA vice-president Fong Chan Onn today urged party leadership to reconsider the decision to sack deputy president Dr Chua Soi Lek from the party over a sex scandal.

"He has apologised for the scandal and resigned as a minister and parliamentarian to take moral responsibility," Fong told reporters at a press conference today.

The veteran leader said the party should respect the decision of delegates who elected Chua as a deputy president at party polls last October.

"I think we should give Chua and president Ong (Tee Keat) a chance to work together to improve the party for the future.

"We cannot afford a split at the moment," he said as the party was trying hard to regain the support it had lost during the 2008 general election.

He also said that he was not in either's camp and refused to answer questions if he supported a call for an extraordinary general meeting be called to take action against Ong.

The MCA presidential council meeting last night endorsed a decision by the party's disciplinary committee to sack Chua from the party over his sex scandal which broke out at the end of 2007 and beginning of 2008.

Chua took full responsibility for the scandal and resigned as the health minister, member of parliament for Labis and party vice-president.

However he made a comeback by winning the deputy president's post 10 months ago.

His relationship with Ong had always been acrimonious with each claiming the other of trying to undermine him.