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news without borders
Seven more may leave Hua Zong
THE Associated Chinese
Chambers of Commerce and
Industry of Malaysia (AC-
CCIM) is confident its deci-
sion to part ways with Hua
Zong (Federation of Chinese
Associations of Malaysia)
will be followed by seven
members which are still af-
filiated with the federation’s
members.
The decision, which was
one of the resolutions passed
at ACCCIM’s executive
council meeting in Kuching
last Monday, made headline
news in the Chinese press on
Wednesday.
Of ACCCIM’s 17 mem-
bers, six have never been
affiliated with any Chinese
assembly hall while four
others – Negri Sembilan,
Terengganu, Kedah and
Penang – have ended their
affiliation with the respective
Chinese assembly halls over
the years.
That leaves the Chinese
chambers of commerce and
industry from Selangor/Kua-
la Lumpur, Klang, Malacca,
Perak, Perlis, Kelantan and
Kluang, which are expected
to heed ACCCIM’s decision.
On Saturday, ACCCIM
theSun
vice-president Datuk Seri Lam
Press Digest
by Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
Kam Sang told Sin Chew Daily
there are no reasons why any of
the seven Chinese chambers of
commerce and industry would
want to overrule the executive
council’s decision.
If they do, the ACCCIM’s
reputation would come to
naught, he said.
He said in view of the fric-
tions between some Chinese
assembly halls and Chinese
chambers of commerce and
industry, it would be better for
them to part company.
“In the early days, leaders of
Chinese assembly halls were
sentimental about Chinese
chambers of commerce and
industry because they were the
ones who set up the chambers of
commerce and industry.
“Now, the two entities have
different leadership styles and
serving different target groups
No date yet for MCA annual
delegates’ conference
ALTHOUGH the MCA constitu-
tion says the party has to convene
its national annual delegates’
conference before Aug 31, there
is no clear indication when it is
going to hold it.
Party secretary-general Datuk
Wong Foon Meng was quoted in
a China Press report yesterday
as saying that the conference
will be delayed, and the party
is still waiting for a reply from
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib
Abdul Razak, who is to open the
conference, on the date.
“By convention, the party
invites the prime minister to
open its national delegates’ con-
ference, but the prime minister
has yet to give us the date,” he
said.
Sources said the party has
briefs
Sibu records very
unhealthy air quality
KUALA LUMPUR: Sibu in
Sarawak recorded a very
unhealthy Air Pollutant Index
(API) reading of 255 while four
other areas in the state – Miri,
Samarahan, Sri Aman and
Kuching – and Muar in Johor
registered unhealthy readings
of 179, 128 and 105, 106 and
143 respectively.
According to the Depart-
ment of Environment’s daily
air quality update, as at 5pm
yesterday, 25 of 50 areas being
monitored for API recorded a
moderate reading while the
rest registered good air quality.
Among areas with moder-
ate API are Larkin Lama (74),
Pasir Gudang (63), Malacca
(61), Balok Baru, Kuantan (71),
Keningau (76), Kota Kinabalu
(68), Cheras (52), Putrajaya (51)
and Labuan (75).
Areas with good air quality
are Perai, Penang (30), Kangar
(27), Langkawi (35) and Jalan
Tasek, Ipoh (27).
An API reading of 0 to 50
is considered good, 51-100
moderate, 101-200 unhealthy,
201-300 very unhealthy, and
300 and above hazardous.
| MONDAY AUGUST 10 2009
– with the chamber of commerce
and industry taking a leading
role in economy whereas as-
sembly halls focus on clans
and culture, which is fine with
everyone.
“Although we are parting
ways, we are still brothers,” he
said.
Asked whether the resolution
goes against the constitution of
the Chinese chamber of com-
merce and industry, Lam said,
“it depends”.
“For some, they don’t have
to change their constitution
(to withdraw from Chinese
assembly halls) as it does not
specify whether they have to be
a member of the local Chinese
assembly hall,” he said.
Another ACCCIM vice-presi-
dent, Datuk David Chua, said
the executive council did not
set a time frame for the seven to
leave Chinese assembly halls.
set Oct 11 as the tentative
date to convene the delegates’
conference but Wong declined
comment.
According to the party con-
stitution, the president has the
power to postpone or delay it to
no later than Dec 31.
Should the national delegates’
conference be delayed, the
Youth and Wanita conferences
will also be delayed.
It is learnt that the lack of
a specific date to work on has
hampered preparations by party
workers.
Party members said “a lot
needs to be done but because we
don’t know when the conference
is going to be held, many things,
such as printing of publicity ma-
terials, cannot be carried out”.
398 from Umno dare
Anwar to sue them
JOHOR BARU: The 398 Johor Baru
Umno delegates attending a divi-
sion meeting here yesterday chal-
lenged Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)
adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
to also sue them after calling him
a traitor to the Malay race.
The loud cry in unison was made
by delegates from 84 branches in
the division when division chief
Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad was
delivering his opening speech.
“Let us all rise and say out ‘An-
war Ibrahim pengkhianat bangsa’
(Anwar Ibrahim a traitor to the
Malay race) so that he can also
take legal action against us. Johor
Baru Umno is prepared to face the
legal suit (from Anwar),” he said,
and the delegates did as urged.
According to Shahrir, Johor Baru
Umno and party deputy president
Tan Sri Muhyddin Yassin were
only voicing out the feelings they
had been harbouring all this while
about Anwar.
“This clarion cry is what has
been in the hearts of Johor Baru
Umno delegates and we are not
afraid of facing Anwar who has
deviated from the struggle of the
Malays,” he said.
Shahrir believed that all Umno
members would be with Muhyid-
din in the event of a legal suit filed
by Anwar against him for calling
the PKR de facto leader a traitor to
the Malays. – Bernama