RAUB: Cadre training will continue to be emphasised to ensure MCA is strong to the core, said party president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

“A systematic and comprehensive mechanism must be put in place for the purpose,” he said.

This is one reason the MCA School of Political Studies was revived in 2014 under his leadership.

The school, he added, played an important role in party-building and shaping the minds of promising members and future leaders.

“We want to make sure that the members are well-trained,” he told reporters here yesterday while attending the Jom! Raub Jogathon charity run participated by some 2,500 people and 75 community-based organisations.

Liow said the party leadership would be seeking the central delegates’ endorsement of the proposal for the setting up of the MCA School of Political Studies on a permanent basis at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on Saturday.

The EGM will held in conjunction with the party’s 68th anniversary celebrations.

Currently, the fate of the party’s school lies in the hands of the president.

Liow said the party had bought about two hectares of land in Klang, Selangor, to build the school.

“We are working on the draft plan and hopefully construction work can start by this year,” he added.

MCA School of Political Studies principal Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun said the school building would come with a hall, hostel and sports facilities, among others.

She said the school organised at least two training sessions weekly and the topics included economic, politics and current issues, strategies on the 14th general election and many more.

“For now, we are working with local universities and colleges to source for trainers, but we hope to groom our own in the future,” she added.

At the EGM, Liow said the party would seek the central delegates’ approval to amend the party constitution to allow for the automatic appointment of Youth and Wanita chiefs at the divisional level as central delegates.

If passed, the number of central delegates will be increased from the current 2,336 to 2,712.

-The Star-