Suspended MCA deputy president Chua Soi Lek revealed a '3R manifesto' five days before the party's extraordinary general meeting (EGM) which could see him winning in his bid to remove party president Ong Tee Keat.

According to Chua, the manifesto with theme 'Reject, Reunite, Rejuvenate: The 3R Manifesto to Restore 60 Years of Legacy and Influence' was aimed at informing the MCA's central delegates that the EGM was not a bid for a power-grab but to revive the MCA.

chua soi lek egm manifesto 051009 pc.jpg The 26-page manifesto is printed in both Chinese and English and will be distributed to the 2,377 central delegates from today onwards.

At a press conference held in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Chua stressed that the EGM was not to remove Ong Tee Kiat and reinstate him (Chua) but was instead to reunite and rejuvenate the party.

"We have to make sure how to integrate the party after the EGM, this is the biggest challenge," he added.

Chua said he guaranteed that there would be no witch-hunt if he became MCA president after the EGM, adding that one of the objectives in introducing his manifesto was to 'comfort' the current MCA leadership in that his target was only Ong.

"The other leaders were elected by the central delegates [...] we should and we will respect them."

He urged the embattled Ong not to use a mass resignation move by the presidential council to threaten the MCA's central delegates.

"He shouldn't tie himself together with the presidential council and the central committee, this is not right. He should be responsible for what he has done, not threaten the central delegates with other committees."

Ready to lead if required

Chua denied his manifesto was another form of a 'MCA presidential candidate's manifesto' and reiterated that he had no intention of becoming the party president.

chua soi lek egm manifesto 051009 book.jpg "We won't regard this as campaign, it is just our contribution to revive MCA," he said.

When further quizzed by reporters, Chua conceded that he is willing to helm the party if the outcome of the EGM required him to do so.

"That is due to the outcome [...] I have reiterated many times that I don't have the intention to become MCA president. If not, I would have contested the post."

He also said that Ong 'should know what to do in accordance to democratic principles ' if a no-confidence vote against him (Ong) is passed at the EGM on Oct 10.

According to MCA's constitution, the deputy president will automatically become party president if the top post is vacated for whatever reason.

On the so called ' third force ' that is said is out to exploit the situation exposed by the battling duo, Chua said they have been ‘tossing around'.

He claimed that ‘one or two leaders' of that faction including a former Selangor executive councillor had been making phone calls to lobby the central delegates.

"But we leave it to the central delegates to decide," he said.

Other MCA leaders who attended the press conference included central committee members Tan Chai Ho, Loh Seng Kok and Chong Itt Chew.

Ong's elegant silence

On the other front, Ong has been adopting a 'elegant silence' approach. He has chosen to focus on his ministerial duties and represent the party's disaster relief efforts.

ong tee keat visit maluri bus station 051009 02.jpg During this morning's peak hour, Ong, who is transport minister, took a public bus from Taman Midah to the Maluri LRT station before inspecting the LRT-bus interchange, having a first hand experience of the urban public transport service.

He then held an open-air press conference for more than half an hour but eventually refused to comment when asked about the upcoming and highly-anticipated MCA EGM.

In the afternoon Ong attended an MCA cheque presentation ceremony for the victims of Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan at MCA's headquarters. Again, he refused to respond to the EGM issue.

"Today is strictly for disaster-relief efforts," said Ong with a smile.