MCA has set up a high-level committee headed by deputy president Chan Kong Choy to explore the proposal to merge the party with Barisan Nasional partner Gerakan.

Party president Ong Ka Ting announced the decision after chairing a four-hour central committee meeting at the MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

However he refused to name the other members of the new committee pending further discussions with Gerakan, which will also establish a similar committee. He was uncertain as to when both would meet.

"I will discuss this further with (Gerakan president) Dr Lim Keng Yaik during the farewell dinner for ex-premier Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) tonight, as well as when I see him at the cabinet meeting tomorrow," he said.

Commenting on Gerakan's commitment to the proposed merger, Ong said the leaders of both parties share the same vision.

He was asked to comment on the perception that Gerakan is not enthusiastic about the proposal, based on the fact that it has issued far fewer media statements compared to MCA.

"Gerakan has issued a number of positive statements on this, but (its commitment) shouldn't be equated with this (figure)," Ong countered.

Long-term goal

He reiterated that the merger is a "long-term" goal, that no time frame has been set at this point, and that all details should be left to the special committee to study.

Asked if MCA would amend its constitution to take in non-Chinese as members, he said this was "too premature to determine" and that the committee would look into all possibilities.

The Chinese-based MCA, established in 1949, has about 1.02 million members and is the second-largest BN component party. The 36-year-old Gerakan has approximately 250,000 members and was founded as a multi-racial party.

Ong denied that the proposed merger was a "charade" in the run-up to the general election, due by November.

"If it is a charade, then we would not have to set up the special committee at all. We feel this is the right time (to announce the proposal) because both party leaders are becoming closer...this is positive and (the merger) will eventually bring a lot of benefits to BN."

On a related matter, Ong said he needed to find out the "historical background" as to why MCA second president Dr Lim Chong Eu's photograph is not displayed at the party headquarters.

A New Sunday Times report had pointed this out last week, but Ong said the issue should not be raised alongside that of the proposed merger.

"The merger has nothing to do with the picture....the picture has not been there since Day One. I have to look into why the decision was made," he said.

Lim's picture is the only one missing among the seven MCA presidents to date, which observers have attributed to political differences.

He became MCA president in 1958 but left after 16 months amidst leadership differences. In 1968, he co-founded Gerakan with Dr Tan Chee Khoon, Prof Syed Hussein Alattas and Prof Wong Gungwu.

'Insensitive' PAS

Ong said the party's list of election candidates has not yet been finalised and that there was no need for a public discussion on the matter as the line-up will be ready in time for the elections.

He then criticised the PAS-led Kelantan and Terengganu governments for recently implementing a dress code for women.

"It is not fair to non-Muslims and other people. PAS is very insensitive, it doesn't understand what it means to be multi-racial and multi-religious in Malaysian society."

Under the dress code, Muslim women working in the private sector will have to adhere to the Islamic dress code and wear head scarves and loose clothes. Non-Muslim women are not allowed to wear figure-hugging or revealing dresses to work.

Employers whose workers are found to be improperly attired can be fined up to RM250 or may lose their business licence.