Liow proposes one more Barisan deputy chairman

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA Youth wants the Barisan Nasional deputy chairmanship to be expanded to two positions, with MCA holding one of the two seats.
Outgoing Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said MCA supported Umno as Barisan chairman, but proposed that MCA filled one of the two deputy positions.
“MCA is the second largest component party. The proposed deputy president should be represented by the MCA,” he said Friday at the opening of the MCA Youth convention at Dewan San Choon, Wisma MCA here.
He said the structure of Barisan should consider the position, interests and representation of all component parties.
Liow said the proposal for MCA to fill the deputy chairmanship was not excessive, while other top positions could be opened to leaders of other component parties.
“Since independence, MCA has worked together with other component parties to form the Alliance and then Barisan. We have always been a part of the cooperation principle and multi-cultural spirit,” he said.
He added that the Barisan structure should be reviewed so that MCA could be more proactive in monitoring the policy-making process.
“We understand the voters’ wishes for reforms. To meet their expectations, we should ensure transparency in various government policies, have an open attitude, and make fair policies.
“The siege mentality that we have in the past is no longer appropriate for today,” he said.
Quoting US presidential candidate Barack Obama, Liow said: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change we seek”.
Liow said although MCA had commanded the support of the community for more than 50 years, the party should not be reluctant to start from “zero, just like MCA when it started”.
“MCA’s struggle is also a struggle of race, MCA is not willing to wait another 50 years, the Chinese community is also not willing to wait another 50 years,” he said.

Barisan should discuss proposal: Hishammuddin

KUALA LUMPUR: Discussions should be held among the Barisan Nasional component party leaders before a consensus decision is reached on the proposal that a second deputy B
Barisan Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said this Friday when asked to comment on the proposal made by outgoing MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai at the opening of the Youth wing convention at Dewan San Choon here.
“This is a healthy discussion to put on the table. We should listen to the views and opinions of other component parties.
“One or two positions are not important. What is more important is the current political landscape where the Barisan has to make sure that the reforms are being made based on sincerity, honesty and respect among the component parties,” he said after attending the opening of the convention.
Hishammuddin stressed the importance of the relationship among the component parties as well as their wings.
“I am glad that the relationship among the Youth wings of the component parties is not shaken,” he said.
He said the edge that Barisan has is in the way issues including suggestions are handled, as they would be discussed and agreed upon by the component parties.
“Umno may have its views and suggestions in the upcoming annual general meeting (AGM). And we are still looking into the views of Gerakan which just concluded its AGM not long ago,” he said.
When asked whether the Barisan constitution would allow a second deputy position to be created, Hishammuddin said:
“The constitution is drafted by human beings. If it is for the benefit of all people, there is no constitution that cannot be amended,” said Hishammuddin who congratulated the MCA Youth wing for its smooth and stable power transition process.
Hishammanuddin also expressed his appreciation to MCA, which never said that it would pull out from Barisan.
“This is the comradeship that we appreciate. We stay together to face various situations, whether the coalition is strong or weak and in difficult situations.

tunku : there is no harm in liow's suggestion. actually to me it's a good suggestion but bn component parties should decide the structure of appointing the second deputy chairman. there are 13-14 components parties in bn. we can't have all as deputy chairman and if mca is given the seat, then others would want it too.my suggestion is that the second deputy chairman's seat be given to the rest by rotating it among them or the rest can decide who they want as their second deputy chairman by voting or through consensus.