Malaysia Chinese party plans elections to end feud

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysia's main ethnic Chinese political party will hold elections to appoint new leaders, an official said Tuesday, after months of infighting that have undermined the coalition government.

Government leaders say the Malaysian Chinese Association's leadership crisis is crippling their efforts to regain the support of Malaysia's largest ethnic minority. Chinese have widely abandoned the National Front ruling coalition in recent years amid accusations that the Malay Muslim-dominated administration practices racial discrimination.

Ethnic Chinese make up about 25 percent of the country's 28 million people, with Malay Muslims accounting for about 60 percent and Indians another 8 percent.

Party officials agreed at a meeting Monday with Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to hold fresh elections to choose top office-bearers, said Chua Soi Lek, the party's No. 2 leader. But they could not agree on a date for the elections.

The party's dispute began early this year as a power struggle between its president and his deputy. The party has since become split into multiple factions, with officials publicly denouncing each other and battling over key posts.

The party has long been the main political force representing ethnic Chinese. But critics say it has become subservient to the dominant Malay politicians in the government.