MCA disciplinary board clarifies resignation
Published: Nov 8, 2009 7:49 AM | Updated: Nov 8, 2009 7:52 AM
The decision of the five-member MCA disciplinary board to resign en bloc on Nov 4, was not linked to the party's recently-announced Greater Unity Plan (GUP) or clarification of the Registrar of Societies (ROS) over the status of Dr Chua Soi Lek.
The decision of the five-member MCA disciplinary board to resign en bloc on Nov 4, was not linked to the party's recently-announced Greater Unity Plan (GUP) or clarification of the Registrar of Societies (ROS) over the status of Dr Chua Soi Lek.
The decision to quit, former board secretary Ivan Chen said, was based purely on the "unwavering principles" of the board members.
"There was unhappiness over shortcomings in the party's current disciplinary due processes as its presidential council (PC) and the central committee (CC) could overrule the board's decision," he said in a statement here today.
As stated in the party constitution, the board could only recommend disciplinary action against party members and it is up to the party PC and CC to make the final decision.
In Chua's case, the board’s recommendation of sacking was commuted to a four-year suspension by the CC.
"Members of the board also made it crystal-clear that the shortcomings of the party's constitution are not the fault of the present party leadership. In fact, they inherited the deficiencies from the system.
"Hence, unless the relevant provisions in the MCA constitution were amended, members of the board were of the consensus view that the board would not be able to discharge its duties effectively.
High standards of impartiality
Chen, who resigned together with the five board members, reiterated that the members' decision to quit only showed their high standards of impartiality and independence.
"Although I am officially not a board member, as ex-secretary who attended all the panel meetings, I can vouch that the board members had carried out their work with utmost professionalism, integrity and were totally apolitical in discharging their duties," he said.
Chen said, whilst it was true that all members of the disciplinary board had resigned en bloc on Nov 4, it was inaccurate to say that it had anything to do with either the recently-announced GUP or ROS clarification on Chua's status.
For the record, he added, the members of the board had unanimously resolved to relinquish their appointments on Oct 16 at their ninth meeting, but they also decided to leave it to board chairman Ng Cheng Kiat to decide on the date of tendering the resignation letters as the party situation was still chaotic, following the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on Oct 10.
"Members of the board were of the noble view that if the resignation letters were to be tendered on Oct 16, it would only add fuel to fire.
"Hence, it is inaccurate to say that members of board quit because of the ROS decision to reinstate Chua as the deputy president or because of GUP, which was not made known to the board on Oct 16," he said. - Bernama
The decision to quit, former board secretary Ivan Chen said, was based purely on the "unwavering principles" of the board members.
"There was unhappiness over shortcomings in the party's current disciplinary due processes as its presidential council (PC) and the central committee (CC) could overrule the board's decision," he said in a statement here today.
As stated in the party constitution, the board could only recommend disciplinary action against party members and it is up to the party PC and CC to make the final decision.
In Chua's case, the board’s recommendation of sacking was commuted to a four-year suspension by the CC."Members of the board also made it crystal-clear that the shortcomings of the party's constitution are not the fault of the present party leadership. In fact, they inherited the deficiencies from the system.
"Hence, unless the relevant provisions in the MCA constitution were amended, members of the board were of the consensus view that the board would not be able to discharge its duties effectively.
High standards of impartiality
Chen, who resigned together with the five board members, reiterated that the members' decision to quit only showed their high standards of impartiality and independence.
"Although I am officially not a board member, as ex-secretary who attended all the panel meetings, I can vouch that the board members had carried out their work with utmost professionalism, integrity and were totally apolitical in discharging their duties," he said.
Chen said, whilst it was true that all members of the disciplinary board had resigned en bloc on Nov 4, it was inaccurate to say that it had anything to do with either the recently-announced GUP or ROS clarification on Chua's status.
For the record, he added, the members of the board had unanimously resolved to relinquish their appointments on Oct 16 at their ninth meeting, but they also decided to leave it to board chairman Ng Cheng Kiat to decide on the date of tendering the resignation letters as the party situation was still chaotic, following the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on Oct 10.
"Members of the board were of the noble view that if the resignation letters were to be tendered on Oct 16, it would only add fuel to fire.
"Hence, it is inaccurate to say that members of board quit because of the ROS decision to reinstate Chua as the deputy president or because of GUP, which was not made known to the board on Oct 16," he said. - Bernama
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