KUALA LUMPUR: MCA national organising secretary Yoo Wei How said the party was actively undergoing an organisational re-engineering exercise in order to officially implement the system of direct election of party president during the next party election in 2011.

"We have already completed the proposal for an organisational re-engineering masterplan, and have submitted it to the MCA presidential council. It is hoped that party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat will summon a presidential council special meeting as soon as possible to discuss the various suggestions proposed for the re-engineering masterplan."

Yoo said during an exclusive interview with Sin Chew Daily that in this six series of re-engineering, direct election of party president was the most significant and noteworthy.

"During our discussions with party leaders and grassroots, the feedback we get is that most people support the direct election of party president."

He said to ensure the initiative of direct election of president by party members could proceed smoothly, Ong Tee Keat had instructed that this matter be handled as transparently as possible and that the views of MCA leaders and members at various levels be taken into consideration.

As such, Yoo said they would travel to various states and divisions across the country to meet the members and hear what they have to say about the re-engineering masterplan.

He hoped the presidential council could approve the masterplan by end of the year and then hold a special meeting to amend party constitution so that direct election of president could be carried out come the next party election.

Yoo said they proposed a few formulas for the direct election, including the mode of nomination, campaign period and mode of party elections, among others.

He said each of the procedures would take care of various elements such as whether the candidates should have the signed endorsement from at least 5% of all party members, the length of campaign period, whether to emulate the general election system to collect ballots from all the 191 divisions nationwide.

"However, we feel the prerequisite for the direct election of party president will be to consolidate the party membership and structure so that the ultimate objective of direct election of president can be achieved." (Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)