MCA state conventions are now nothing more than an avenue to make open declarations of support for certain leaders, said a party central delegate today.

He said the conventions have lost their function as channels to voice views and stands on party affairs.

Recently many MCA state conventions saw motions being passed in support of president Ong Ka Ting and his deputy Chan Kong Choy in the run-up to next month's party polls.

The central delegate, who declined to be named, said this had caused disgruntlement among members and delegates.

"The '100% support' motion was not reached by vote casting and therefore it cannot represent the collective stand of all members. This is another form of 'menu politics'," he added.

(Menu politics refers to a MCA tradition where top leaders release a list of preferred candidates for delegates to support)

Citing the Federal Territory convention as an example, the delegate said: "Members present had never been so passionate in declaring their support for certain leaders, because those who failed to do so will be labelled as dissidents by the leadership."

In Negeri Sembilan, he said although the party's state deputy chief Dr Yeow Chai Thiam had a run-in with Ong and Chan, he was compelled to declare his support for them to avoid reprisals.

Last year, Yeow had openly accused the duo of 'cheating' him by not implementing the peace plan brokered by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2003 following a leadership tussle in the party.

Challengers condemned

Meanwhile, the delegate also pointed out that MCA state chiefs had made similar remarks at their respective conventions by condemning those challenging the leadership of undermining the party.

"This is not fair in democratic elections," he said, adding that other central delegates also held the same view.

Asked if the declarations of support were premeditated, he conceded that there were orders from the top but did not state any names.

However, he said the current leadership had become nervous when vice-president Chua Jui Meng announced his decision to contest the presidency.

The leadership is now determined to win the contest with a resounding majority, he added.

Asked why none of the central delegates had filed a complaint with the disciplinary board regarding their grouses, he said the current situation prevented them from doing so.

"If we do, we will be accused of being traitors. Moreover we don't trust the (disciplinary) board because its members have vested interest in the elections.

"It is like complaining to the incumbents and hoping they will investigate themselves," he added.