Following the Registrar of Societies (ROS) recent findings that 261 MCA new branches are not eligible to participate in the party elections, an MCA leader said should the branches proceed with the polls, the party may risk being de-registered later on.

This is a serious matter and we cannot overlook it, said MCA Wanita deputy chief Dr Tan Yee Kew of the possible consequences.

Tan, who is aligned to the Team B faction within the party, also said although the number of members in the 261 branches could not be established, it would be safe to assume that more than 13,000 members are involved as each branch must have a minimum of 50 members under the party constitution.

In a statement today, Youth chief Ong Tee Keat said he was informed by the registrar in a letter yesterday that the 261 branches had been ordered not to participate in the elections as they were only set up after Dec 31 last year.

The MCA election guidelines state that only those who sign up as party members before the year of the party elections can vote or become delegates, if chosen, at the divisional, state, and central levels.

Ong who is aligned to Team B said, We have to highlight this issue because the elections steering committee headed by Dr Ting Chew Peh had rejected the complaints about the branches.

We were, therefore, left with no choice but to refer to the ROS for clarification.

Fair to inform grassroots

When contacted, the Youth chief said an overwhelming number of members had approached him and expressed concern over the status of these new branches.

It is only fair for me to inform the grassroots of what we have found out about the branches, he said.

He added there is also a grave concern among Youth members about the 411 new Youth branches approved by a three-member panel in January.

The panel headed by party central committee member Hon Choon Kim is in charge of administrating the Youth wing since its leadership was controversially suspended last December.

However, Ong declined to comment if he wished for the party elections to be postponed in view of the expose.

Based on the statistics given by ROS, he said most branches were found in Penang (64), Federal Territory (64) and Selangor (48).

This was followed by Sabah (25), Johor (20), Kedah (12), Kelantan (11), Perak (9), Pahang (3), Negeri Sembilan (2); and one each in Terengganu, Perlis and Melaka.

MCA elections have kicked off yesterday with nominations at branch level. Party secretary-general Ting had said the membership list for the party elections is clean but this was criticised by Team B leader Lim Ah Lek as incorrect and misleading.

Lim had instead challenged party chief and Team A leader Dr Ling Liong Sik to carry out an independent verification exercise and to resign if the allegations about phantom members are proven right.

The issue of phantom branches and members has been the bone of contention within MCA in recent months in the run-up to the June 29 annual general assembly where central leaders are chosen every three years.

This years contest for the party presidency is expected to be a straight-fight between Ling and a candidate from the opposing faction led by his deputy Lim.