Call for MMA to hold fresh polls

Star: SEREMBAN: More former Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) exco members have joined calls for the organisation to quickly hold fresh elections and overturn its deregistration by the Registrar of Societies.
Doctors, including past presidents, are also asking for a caretaker committee to be formed to conduct the elections, claiming that the six-month period given by the Home Ministry for the body to put its house in order is meaningless because its next AGM would have been due by then.
Former president Datuk Dr Lee Yan San said since MMA's May election had been declared null and void by the Home Ministry, it should immediately conduct a postal ballot and allow members to pick a new team.
“The council should also function without its president-elect as the May election has been annulled,” he said.
The Home Ministry had on Nov 30 directed the 10,000-member MMA to call for fresh elections after it found that the body had contravened electoral procedures during its election in May.
The ROS struck off the body on Nov 16 for failing to satisfactorily reply to a show-cause letter on the violations, including the failure to send out the complete list of candidates vying for positions and for distributing an incomplete agenda for the AGM.
The MMA notified members on its website that it would continue to function normally until its next AGM in May.
Former president Datuk Dr P. Krishnan said the current principal office bearers should automatically cease to hold office.
“They should be denied access to MMA headquarters, which contains valuable information including data on membership and indemnity insurance, fixed deposits and bank cheque books,” he said.
Dr Krishnan, who had previously served as its general-secretary, said MMA's constitution provided for other members of the council, including its current president and immediate past president to convene and fill up the posts vacated by the five principal office bearers.
Former Penang MMA chairman Dr S. Indran claimed that the present exco should be answerable for proceeding with the election although it was fully aware that the ROS was investigating it for alleged irregularities, adding that the most honourable thing was for them to resign en bloc.
Former general secretary Dr A. Rajamohan said an extraordinary meeting should be held and new leaders brought in to helm the body.