2 theSun | WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2 2009

PUASA TIMES news without borders

PERLIS Break Fast 7.26pm
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.44am

KOTA SETAR Break Fast 7.26pm

Imsak (tomorrow) 5.44am

PENANG

KUANTAN
Break Fast

Break Fast
7.26pm
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.45am

7.14pm
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.36am
History repeats itself in MCA
KUALA LUMPUR: It was a case of political said MCA’s Council of Elders chairman the EGM, forcing the Tan faction to bring
KUALA Break Fast 7.15pm history repeating itself for MCA – Barisan Datuk Yap Pian Hon. the issue to court where the party fell into a
TERENGGANU Nasional’s second largest component party Former MCA secretary-general Tan Sri Dr state of near anarchy and the leadership was
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.34am – when its leaders again resorted to calling Ting Chew Peh said: “The current scenario criticised from all corners.
extraordinary general meetings (EGM) to is almost similar to the crisis the party faced The crisis only ended on Nov 24, 1985,
KOTA BARU Break Fast 7.19pm settle a political crisis. in 1984 over the issue of phantom members when a delegates’ meeting was held and
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.41am MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat when the then acting president Datuk Dr successfully elected a new leadership under
has called for an EGM, expected to be held Neo Yee Pan sacked vice-president Tan Koon Koon Swan with Liong Sik as deputy presi-
IPOH Break Fast 7.22pm at the end of this month, to endorse the party Swan and 13 other leaders and members dent and Kim Sai as secretary-general.
presidential council’s decision to sack its from the party.” The MCA’s current crisis also resembles
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.42am deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek The crisis started when Neo sacked Tan what happened eight years ago when a cri-
following his involvement in a sex scandal and Datuk (now Tan Sri) Lee Kim Sai from sis erupted following the party leadership,
PETALING JAYA Break Fast 7.20pm in early 2007. their posts as Federal Territory MCA liaison headed by Ling, decided to purchase Nanyang
/SHAH ALAM Imsak (tomorrow) 5.41am Chua’s supporters immediately launched chairman and Selangor MCA liaison chair- Press Holding Berhad.
a signature campaign to get one third of the man respectively on March 17, 1984. The crisis split the party into two factions,
KUALA LUMPUR Break Fast 7.20pm party delegates to request for an EGM to On the same day, Datuk Mak Hon Kam, Team A vs Team B with one faction headed by
/PUTRAJAYA overturn the decision. However, Ong seems in his capacity as the party’s disciplinary Ling and including Chua, favouring the deci-
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.41am
to have made a pre-emptive strike by calling committee chairman, announced the imme- sion to purchase Nanyang while his deputy
an EGM even before Chua’s supporters could diate expulsion of 14 leaders and members Tan Sri Lim Ah Lek who headed the other
SEREMBAN Break Fast 7.18pm submit the EGM requisition to the party. from the party including Tan, Lee and other faction, which included current president Ong,
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.40am Under the party’s constitution, the EGM central committee members like (Tun) Dr was against the takeover. The issue was
must be held within 30 days after the direc- Ling Liong Sik, Datuk Kee Yong Wee, Wong resolved only after Ling called for an EGM
MALACCA Break Fast 7.17pm tive is issued by the party president while the Choon Wing and Datuk Wong Mook Leong. where the majority of the delegates endorsed
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.39am notice of the EGM has to be issued to the del- The announcement shocked not only the the purchase of Nanyang by the party’s invest-
egates 21 days before the date of the EGM. party but the whole Chinese community ment arm, Huaren Holdings Sdn Bhd.
However, the party constitution does which prompted members throughout the A total of 1,176 out of the 2,207 delegates
JOHOR BARU Break Fast 7.10pm
provide the power for the notice period to be country to urge the party to retract the expul- who cast their secret ballots voted for the
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.34am shortened by half. sion orders. deal while 1,019 were against the takeover of
“The way I look at it, the president wants Within 48 hours after the expulsions, more Nanyang Press, which publishes the Nanyang
KUCHING Break Fast 6.45pm to settle this issue once and for all. Looks like than 1,499 delegates sent in a joint petition Siang Pau and China Press dailies.
Imsak (tomorrow) 5.10am the EGM could be held as early as Sept 13 calling for an EGM to be held to nullify the Huaren has over the years reduced its
or a week after Hari Raya on Sept 27, before expulsion orders and to appoint a special stake in Nanyang to a marginal stake as
KOTA KINABALU Break Fast 6.23pm the party’s AGM scheduled on Oct 11 to be committee to probe and handle the phantom Sin Chew Media Group has taken over the
officiated by the prime minister. membership issue. ownership. – Bernama
Imsak (tomorrow) 4.42am “An EGM before the AGM would be good However, this was ignored by the in-
www.islam.gov.my/portal/puasa.php avenue to sort this issue once and for all,” cumbent leadership which refused to hold » See also Page 7

Sothi: Samy’s ‘dream team’ Wanita Umno

may not be endorsed by all
by Tim Leonard
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: MIC vice-president Datuk S.
Sothinathan yesterday took a swipe at his former
mentor and MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu
for parading a “dream team” to delegates for the
oncoming party polls.
Sothinathan, who fell out with Samy Vellu
recently, told theSun that the president’s team
may not necessarily reflect the aspirations of the
grassroots or the Indian community as a whole.
“One man’s ‘dream team’ may not be the team
endorsed by the grassroots,” Sothinathan said.
Sothinathan, who is contesting the MIC deputy
president’s post, said the Indian community
wanted a change at the leadership level and
MIC must bring about the changes.
Sothinathan said although he was grate-
ful to Samy Vellu for bringing him into the
MIC, he nevertheless remains firm in his
stand that the party must adapt to changes.
“We must stop ignoring the wishes of the
community. Change has to come so that
the people are free to choose whoever they
want as leaders … not just based on one
man’s team.”
The 49-year-old former Teluk Kemang
MP said this year’s party polls is very
crucial as it will set the pace for things to
come, especially in winning back the hearts
of Indian voters who deserted MIC in the
previous general elections.
Samy Vellu’s ‘dream team’ comprises
incumbent Datuk G. Palanivel for the post
of deputy president and three new faces as
vice-presidents, namely Human Resources
Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, Deputy
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Depart-
ment Datuk S.K. Devamany and Federal
Territories Deputy Minister Datuk M. Sara-
vanan. Palanivel is challenged by former
deputy president Datuk S Subramaniam
and Sothinathan. A total of 1,464 delegates
will cast their votes in the Sept 12 polls.
MIC lost heavily in the 2008 elections.
Among those who lost were Samy Vellu,
Palanivel and Sothinathan.
Prisons to be closed to
visitors for Hari Raya
PETALING JAYA: All prison institutions, except
the detention camp in Kamunting, Taiping, will
be closed to visitors on the first and second
day of Hari Raya.
The Prisons Department announced in a
statement yesterday the camp for ISA detain-
ees will be open to visitors on the first and
second day of the festival while visits to all
other prisons, reformatories and the Henry
Gurney School would be allowed on the third
and fourth days of the festival.
Visiting hours are from 8.15am till 4.15pm
and visitation priorities on the days mentioned
will be given to Muslim detainees.
Visitors are not allowed to give food, drinks
or money to the detainees.
finalises
30% female
representation
proposal
by Meena L. Ramadas
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Wanita Umno yester-
day finalised its proposal to amend the
party constitution to institutionalise a
mandatory 30% women representation
in the party management.
The proposal was approved at a
Wanita Umno executive council meet-
ing.
Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri
Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said: “I hope this
30% female representation, which is
part of Barisan Nasional’s policy, is
implemented in Umno. It is important
because women can offer different
perspectives, contribute to the policy-
making process and also effectively
execute programmes.”
She said the proposal included 15
other items related to the 30% quota
for women to be given a chance to help
manage the party.
“The proposed amendments are
aimed to yield affirmative action from
Umno regarding the appointment
of capable and deserving women in
decision-making positions within the
party. These positions include those in
Umno branches, state committees and
at national level.
Asked about the 30% allocation of
posts for women that had been adopted
in the opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s
constitution, Shahrizat said: “This 30%
female representation in important
posts was initiated by BN so I am happy
that PKR has agreed with BN’s initiative
and have implemented it.”
Sharizat said that she handed a
memorandum to the cabinet back in
August 2004 when she was women,
family and community development
minister.
“There was no legislative amend-
ments made at that time but now we
have a new leadership,” she said.