KUALA LUMPUR: MCA needs to hold an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) soon to decide on its stand of not accepting any government post.
Secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan said the party could not afford to delay any longer on the matter.
He added that an EGM was crucial to allow the party and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to decide on the next step to be taken to have the Chinese community represented in government, should MCA remain adamant to stick to its decision.
"To me personally, MCA's absence in the government is long overdue and it is high time we consider whether to go in (join the government) or to stay out.
"Even if MCA decides not to participate in the government, it can't deny the rights of six million Chinese to be represented in the government," he told a news conference at Wisma MCA here.
He said Najib's willingness to keep the Transport Minister's portfolio for MCA proved that he had wanted MCA to resolve the problem soonest.
"Yes or no, we must have a decision. We can't drag it any longer. It's not fair for the Chinese community and the nation," he said.
In the party's annual general meeting in 2011 and 2012, MCA made a resolution not to accept any government post should it perform badly in the 2013 general election.
In the general election, the party only won seven parliamentary and 11 state seats, compared to 15 parliamentary and 32 state seats it won in 2008.
However, at the Oct 20 EGM last year, delegates had rejected a motion to rescind the decision.
Ong said he would highlight the matter in the party central committee meeting next week.
He did not rule out that the EGM could be held on Feb 23, in conjunction with the party's 65th anniversary celebration.
According to the party constitution, an EGM can be called by either the president, or upon receiving support from two-thirds of the central committee members or receiveing support from two-thirds of the central delegates.
It can be held earliest in seven days after requisition is received by the secretary-general. - Bernama
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