From today onwards, MCA members must "keep party secrets", "be well-behaved at all party functions", and "not criticise or belittle the party or its leaders in the public".

These are among the guidelines contained in the newly introduced code of conduct.

The six-point code further says, all members shall respect party decisions and shall not bring any disagreement or differences to the press and the public. They should instead raise their complaints within the party machinery.

Failing to abide by this, errant members may be issued a warning, suspended, given any punishment deemed appropriate and in accordance with the party constitution, or even expelled.

Party president Dr Ling Liong Sik (photo) said this while presenting the code of ethics after chairing a one-hour presidential council meeting at MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur this evening.

"It was unanimously adopted by everyone. There was not a single sound of objection," he said.

No 'untrue' reports

When asked, he cited Articles 59.8, 86.6 or 111.5 under the party constitution as avenues still for MCA members to resolve their complaints and grouses through the proper channels within the party.

The three articles stipulate that the state liaison, divisional, or branch committees can recommend expulsion, suspension, or any other action against a party member within the state, division, or branch.

The code of conduct unveiled today also sets the boundaries for the party election campaign such as "no member is allowed to hinder or stop a qualified members from exercising his or her right to contest".

It says money politics must be avoided, stating specifically that "contenders are not encouraged to treat members with free lunch, dinner, gifts or promises of vacations".

To ensure that party elections will be carried out in a fair and healthy manner, "destructive utterances, fabrication or distortion of facts and misleading statements shall be prohibited".

Apart from that, the use of "untrue, fabricated or erroneous" news reports is also not permissible while all disputes arising from the party elections can only be brought to the party election steering committee for solution.

It also requires MCA members to display their loyalty by adhering to the party constitution, obeying orders, and upholding the party's good name and image.

The code of conduct was presented to the presidential council last Friday by the disciplinary committee headed by new chief Kam Woon Wah. Kam, a party veteran, was appointed late last month to replace MCA deputy president Lim Ah Lek.

'Not neutral'

MCA, the second largest party in the ruling coalition which claims over one million members, was split openly into two camps Team A led by Ling and Team B led by Lim since it took over two Chinese newspapers last year.

In the run-up to the party election in July, Team B had claimed early this year that certain leaders recruited 'phantom' members to boost their standing in the party. The anti-Ling faction had then threatened to spill the beans on these leaders.

But this was stopped at the eleventh hour when Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad proposed a peace plan in April which stipulated that the status quo be maintained for all party posts and that the triennial polls be postponed pending further discussion.

The party however later announced that the election will proceed with no contest and no balloting. All incumbents were thus 'elected' automatically into their posts for another term.

On Saturday, Lim had questioned the necessity for an MCA code of conduct and said the new line-up of the disciplinary committee was not "neutral" as alleged by Ling.

Lim (photo) claimed that one of the new committee members, former national organising secretary Wang Choon Wing, had met him on two occasions last year to lobby for pro-Ling vice-president Ong Ka Ting to be the next party president.

The party deputy president left immediately after attending the presidential council meeting this evening and was not available for comments.

Speaking to reporters later, Ling declined to comment on Lim's claim beyond saying "what is confidential and privileged should not be repeated outside. I was not there".