KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA is still figuring out the kinks in forming a central board of trustees to manage the party’s assets. After the first central committee (CC) meeting held at Wisma MCA yesterday, party president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai confirmed that the party would set up a central board to manage the assets.

The setting up of a trustee to manage party assets was one of the reforms listed in Liow’s presidential election manifesto. This came after complaints from party members unhappy with former president Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek’s management style.

“In the CC today [yesterday], I mentioned party asset management. We are looking at how to form the central board of trustees, we need more details, need a lot of input and we need a lot of teamwork. All this takes time, it cannot be done in a short period,” he said.

It was reported that during the annual general meeting held on Dec 22, business tycoon and MCA Parit Sulong central delegate Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew had suggested that the top leader declare the party’s assets before stepping down. It is estimated that MCA has RM2 billion worth of assets.

In the meantime, in order to meet the nine strategies listed in his manifesto, Liow said MCA will set up eight committees, 13 bureaus, two special taskforces and create the post of chief of staff of the president’s office.

To draft the direction and details of the party reform, Liow said MCA will hold a forum on the MCA Reform Blueprint to be attended by all CC members.

The forum is aimed at getting input on party reforms from CC members and to set the Key Performance Indexes (KPIs) for all the committees to carry out their work.

Liow said the KPIs are to ensure the internal implementation and external meeting of the committees would happen regularly, especially to build a close relationship among government agencies, the Chinese community and non-governmental organisations.

The committees will collect the views of the public on national issues and come up with strategies to monitor the relevant fields.

The committees include: political development, education consultative committee, preparatory committee for the 14th general election, Chinese guilds and NGO affairs, strategic planning and research, economic consultative committee, social development and organisational restructuring.

Liow said the party would set up an MCA centre in every division to start preparing for the next general election.

“We will not wait until the election to set up our operation centres,” Liow said. — by Chen Shaua Fui

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This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on January 3, 2014.