KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA has to rid its "Chinaman image" that somehow puts off the majority of educated and middle-class Chinese, says Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker (pic, centre).



"They are highly opinionated and critical of MCA as a party that lags in the pursuit of rights, liberties and equality," said the newly elected vice-president.



He was elaborating on the need to rebrand and reinvent MCA as a party that engages all Malaysians, a party that is not confined to its traditional roles such as safeguarding Chinese education, guilds and associations.



Ti is among the four winners for the party's vice-presidential posts, from a total of nine candidates, in the party's elections on Sunday (Nov 4).



He polled 419 electoral votes.



The other three winners are Datuk Tan Teik Cheng (pic, left) who got 441 electoral votes, Datuk Lim Ban Hong (483) and Datuk Seri Yew Teong Look (331).



The call for the 69-year-old MCA to reform was a hot topic in the party elections after the party got less than 10% support from the Chinese community in the 14th General Election (GE14).



The party won only one Parliamentary seat and two state seats out of the 129 seats it contested in GE14 on May 9.



On the direction ahead for the party, Tan said this would be discussed at the first central committee meeting chaired by president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.



After an intensive campaign for the elections, he said he hoped all would close ranks for the good of the party, and give full backing to Dr Wee, who is the sole MCA MP after winning the Ayer Hitam parliamentary seat in Johor.



"I went to 178 divisions nationwide in the last 56 days to campaign, and the response to Ka Siong has been very good.



"They fully support his vision for the party," Tan said of Dr Wee, who beat his competitor, Gan Ping Sieu, with a 265 electoral vote majority.



Dr Wee and Gan polled 447 and 182 electoral votes respectively.



The third presidential candidate, Ngoo Teck Keong, did not manage to get any electoral votes.



Meanwhile Datuk Ooi Siew Kim (pic, right), who polled 200 electoral votes and lost in the vice-presidency race, said she would support efforts by the new leadership that bring good to the party and the people.



"Elections are a democratic process and I respect the decision by the delegates



"I will continue to play my role using my party platform and also as a lawyer to help people in need," said Ooi, whose family boasts of four generations of MCA members.



Ooi is the Bayan Baru division chairman.



The other candidates who did not make it in the vice-presidency race are Datuk Ei Kim Hock who polled 191 electoral votes, Datuk Lau Lee (156), Datuk Seri Dr Lim Chin Fui (280) and Tan Seong Lim (15).

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