MCA RANK AND FILE WARNED OVER ECSTASY

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA leaders or members caught involved in Ecstasy pills will
face party disciplinary action.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik said he had heard rumours of
such involvement.

"I have asked the party leadership to check this out and stop such
unhealthy activities,'' Dr Ling told reporters after chairing a 2-1/2-hour
MCA central committee meeting here yesterday.

He was asked to comment on talks that MCA leaders or members were said to
be involved in Ecstasy pills.

It is learnt that anonymous callers have been flooding Chinese papers with
calls, apparently to provide feedback on those involved in Ecstasy pills.

They said those involved include one holding a very high and respectable
government position.

Dr Ling stressed that the party was all out to eradicate the Ecstasy pill
problem because "we will not allow one whole generation to be destroyed (by
the pill).

He said some party leaders who received threats; directly or otherwise from
Ecstasy pill pushers had made police reports.

They were from various states, including Penang, Johor and Selangor, he added.

"I feel very proud and we will be committed (in the war against Ecstasy
pills) because we feel it is a right thing to do and will carry on.

"I believe we are morally correct. We have taken a right position despite
facing all sorts of challenges.

"Eventually, we will succeed in eradicating this social ill on Malaysian
soil,'' Dr Ling said, adding that the launch of the all-out-war on Ecstasy,
originally scheduled for tomorrow, has been postponed to Aug 21.

He said police and the local councils were also actively raiding the
factories processing Ecstasy pills, citing a recent report of the seizure
of substances enough to produce 300,000 pills.

Dr Ling said people must be convinced that it was bad to take Ecstasy
pills, adding that highlighting documented cases will help.

Citing the case of a teenager who was on the verge of dropping out of
school due to Ecstasy pills, Dr Ling said the girl was pale, showed
disrespect for her parents and attempted suicide by cutting her wrist.

Dr Ling said parents must monitor their children's activities if they did
not want to suffer the same fate.

He said there were many documented stories on the damage caused by Ecstasy,
including a married woman who eloped with her disco partner.

Dr Ling said more and more people were providing feedback to the party on
the dangers of Ecstasy.

Another case was about a good husband and father who neglected the family
completely and his business after taking Ecstasy pills.

He said there were also fatal accidents said to be linked to Ecstasy pill
consumption.

Dr Ling said he was happy that the MCA war against Ecstasy has received
encouraging support.