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CWC - ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN

gG believes that one of the major root causes of Gerakan’s weaknesses lies in core of the Party i.e the Central Working Committee (CWC).

Through the years and as far back as in the 90’s, the party Constitution has been refashioned and amended. The primary motive of this exercise is to centralize power into the hands of a very few top leaders and their men in CWC.

The constitutional function of the CWC is “for the purpose of carrying out routine administration and for dealing with emergencies or urgent matters” (see Article 37.1 of the Party’s Constitution).

This makes sense as it is not possible for all the members of the CC to meet to carry out routine administration or emergencies or urgent matters. But surely and sensibly, the powers of the CWC must be confined to such situations only. In any other situation the CC should be given the power to act.

Why?

Because CC consists of decision makers who are elected by the delegates in a NDC. On the other hand, the members of the CWC comprise the President, who then appoints “as members the Deputy President, the Secretary General, the National Treasurer and such other members not exceeding 10 in number as he may deem fit” (see Article 37.1 of the Party’s Constitution).

And under the Party’s Constitution, the Secretary General and the National Treasurer are appointed by the President, albeit with the concurrence of the CC. Further, under the Party’s Constitution, the 10 other members of the CWC need not be members of the CC.

It is interesting to note that the Party’s Constitution in 1992 stated differently, in that,
a) the members of the CWC shall comprise the President, the Deputy President, the Secretary General, the National Treasurer and such other members of the Central Committee not exceeding 10 in number as the President may appoint. (see Article 66(a) of the 1992 Party’s Constitution),
b) the Secretary General and the National Treasurer are elected at the NDC (see Article 65(iv) and (v) of the 1992 Party’s Constitution).

The 1992 Party’s Constitution was amended in the 90’s and in the 1998 version of the Party’s Constitution, the Secretary General and the National Treasurer were no longer elected at the NDC- they were appointed as in the present version. And the composition of the other 10 members of the CWC need not be from the CC; they can be just ordinary members as in the present version. This is the structure inherited by the present leadership.

In effect, besides the Deputy President and President, all the other CWC members are directly appointed by the President, who need not be CC members but mere ordinary members without any mandate. And if they are appointed by the President who do they owe their allegiance to? In all likelihood, they will owe their allegiance to the President. Thus the control of the President is complete.

Unfortunately the powers of the CWC are not confined to “carrying out routine administration and for dealing with emergencies or urgent matters” as provided in the Party’s Constitution. The amended Constitution also says:
a) The CWC shall have the final decision in the choice of all candidates for local, state or national election (see Articles 65 & 66 of the Party’s Constitution). Why not the CC? How can the choice of the candidate be “for the purpose of carrying out routine administration and for dealing with emergencies or urgent matters”? is of the view that by giving such power to the CWC (read: the President) it not only stifles the democratic participation of the greater number of the Party members who are represented through their elected CC, but also encourages the promotion of the politics of patronage.
b) On the issue of ‘deprivation of membership’, the final decision rests with the CWC (Article 16.1 of the Party’s Constitution) and its decision “shall be final” (Article 16.3).
c) On the issue of the suspension of a member, the CWC can suspend the member for 6 months pending an investigation, and the suspension will continue past the 6 months (and in theory, indefinitely) if the investigation is incomplete (Article 17.1).
d) On the issue of spending, Article 84.3 states that “no expenditure exceeding RM5,000 at any one time shall be incurred without the prior sanction of the CWC”.
e) On the issue of fund raising, “the prior written sanction of the CWC” must first be obtained before anyone can embark on fund raising.

The undemocratic practice of selection of CWC members has turned Gerakan into a private enterprise of the elite few. The life lines of the organization – money, power and position are in the firm grip of the masters. They jealously guard the right to control the finance, the selection of candidates for the General Elections, appointment of government and party positions.

CWC has totally hijacked the role of Central Committee and NDC. One must not forget that the CC and NDC are democratic institutions of the party and therefore must be the rightful bodies in which major party decisions are made. Many at the CC members may still hold on to their political ideals, or objective enough to see the wrongs in the party; but they are out numbered, bypassed or lack the support to do anything to improve the Party.

And it is not just the CC that has been bypassed. There is a growing perception and complaint that the opinions of state and division leaders as well as grassroots leaders do not matter anymore. At no moment these top leaders in the CWC bother to listen or consult the grassroots leaders who in their mind do not exist except during party elections. The top leaders of CWC have absolutely no respect for the elected officers and delegates. They carry out “power horse trading” and make important decisions including leadership change all by themselves and behind closed doors. The party has become the private property of a few and there is total breakdown in the practice of democracy within the Party.

The skillful “barter trading” of power internally and behind-the-scene liaison with the UMNO bosses are the actual source of their power. After securing so much influence and power, the CWC and its masters no longer see the need to be accountable to the general members. Their political lines become so far detached from the want of the members; their political positions are totally disconnected from the needs of the rakyat.

gG believes that there is a pressing need for the Party to democratize and to reform. To stop the rot in the very core of the party, we must put an end to the culture of patronage, factionalism and undemocratic practices. At the grassroots level, we must join forces to demand for a party leadership that truly practises the principles of democracy. We want a leadership which is mindful that they are elected by the members and for the members. Power should be returned to the members.

gG calls for the review of the powers of the Central Working Committee (CWC) and transferring more power to the Central Committee (CC). This has to be done quickly to re-energise the CC and to restore the CC to its rightful role as “the CENTRAL COMMITTEE of the Party” leading the Party. No reform, however right, can be implemented effectively if there is no rejuvenation and transformation in the CC rightful function.

Gerakkanlah Gerakan
gerakan3g@yahoo.com