Dong Zong dispute: Executive committee meeting convenes on June 11th

Oriental Daily News, June 4, 2015

KUALA LUMPUR, Jun 4 – After Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees Association) president Yap Sin Tian issued a meeting notice yesterday to convene a central committee meeting on June 14th, he issued another notice today to notify the convening of the executive meeting on June 11th.

The meeting notice was sent to 14 people including deputy president Chow Siew Hon, vice president Kho Hai Meng, Tan Kok Hooi, Lu Yuee Thing, Lau Lee Ming, Liew Sui Fatt, secretary-general Poh Chin Chuan, treasurer Lim Kock Chai, vice secretary-general Tan Boon Tak, Soh Ti, vice treasurer Ch’ng Kee Chuan, executive committee members Ang Siau Chee, Chong Cher Koi and Huang Ya Zhu.

Among them, Chong Cher Koi and Huang Ya Zhu were new executive members appointed by Yap Sin Tian after the court order was delivered on March 20. The two executives removed from the committee to make way for two new members were Ch’ng Chuwn Leong and Chong Wei Hsien. The new committee members were not recognized by the Poh faction.

The meeting notice clearly stated that the 20th Dong Zong executive committee will hold its 10th meeting on June 11th, 11am at Dong Zong, Kajang.

Committee decides if a member stays or leaves

Apart from the regular meeting agendas which include the president’s speech, revise previous meeting minutes (executive meeting held on April 21st), review previous meeting minutes, work report and financial report, an additional agenda on the anti-Education Blueprint petition report was also included. A total of six agendas were listed in the notice.

The meeting agenda states that the meeting will discuss about the anti-Education Blueprint petition report that will be submitted to various quarters, including the Prime Minister, Education Ministry, UNESCO, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), political parties and all MPs.

In addition to that, six other topics to be discussed at the meeting including to discuss and approve the new method of issuing cheque with joint signature, review violation of constitution by executive members, discuss the five state affiliate members’ request to convene extraordinary meeting (EGM), discuss Pahang state affiliate’s request for representative change, discuss Perak state affiliate’s request for representative change and the freezing of the positions of two administrative staff members.

In Pahang Dong Lian Hui’s (Chinese Schools Committees Associations, Dong Zong state affiliate) election last month, the pro-Poh Chin Chuan faction won with a landslide victory. The new committee unanimously agreed to remove three current central committee members of Dong Zong – Lu Yuee Thing, Chen Ya Si (translated name) and Zou Zhao Sheng (translated name) and replaced with Lim Chin Chee, Dato’ Wong Kean Hwee and Wu Mao Ming (translated name). Earlier on, Zou Zhao Sheng had submitted his resignation as central committee member to Dong Zong.
In Perak Dong Lian Hui election held last month, Datuk Lee Kon Yin was re-elected as the chairman. He was removed from his Dong Zong central committee position earlier on, but his position was reinstated after the election.

However, according to Dong Zong constitution clause 5A.10, if any state representative’s term in the state ends before the executive member term, or his or her state representation was terminated, Dong Zong central executive committee has the right to decide whether he or she could stay on the position until the term ends.

Based on that, Pahang and Perak’s request may be rejected because of the constitutional restriction.

Last month, Yap Sin Tian announced to freeze the position of organization and information department director Lim Kee Song and property management affairs department director Choong Woei Chuan for 21 days. But the duo has been attending work as usual as of today.

Original Source: 【董总恶斗】11日召开常务委会会议