Campaign to remove Tee Keat launched

PETALING JAYA,— After months of speculation, the campaign to call for an EGM to remove MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and reinstate his deputy Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek was formally launched this afternoon by Datuk Theng Book, pro-tem chairman of the Save MCA campaign.

Chua was sacked yesterday for tarnishing the party image via his sex DVD scandal.

The “Save MCA” campaign had last year pressured former president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting to resign.

To convene an EGM, Theng will have to collect one-third, or 800 MCA central delegate signatures.

“It should be no problem,” Theng told reporters this afternoon, adding that it would take about two to three weeks to go on a nationwide campaign to collect the signatures.

“Tee Keat is causing disunity in the party, please come forward to save MCA,” said Theng.

The EGM will have two motions on its agenda — to reverse the decision of the presidential council and reinstate Chua and a vote of no confidence in Ong as president.

MCA, an original member of a the three party Alliance that won Malaysia its independence and later became the Barisan Nasional, has been blighted by power struggles for more than 2 decades.

The MCA presidential council’s sacking of Chua has set the party on a collision course with its coalition partner Umno, who is understood to be dismayed at the widening split in MCA.

Leaders from four MCA divisions - Puchong, Petaling Jaya Utara, Petaling Jaya Selatan and Ampang, showed up today in their personal capacity to lend their support to the campaign.

The supporters said that they were tired of the party infighting, especially when MCA is fighting for its survival in the face of record gains made by the opposition at the ballot box last year.

They also echoed Theng’s denial that the Save MCA campaign was linked to Chua.

Nevertheless, Theng blasted Ong, saying that it was the MCA president who had tarnished the party image.

“Tee Keat is suing someone (Tiong King Sing) for claiming that he received RM10 million in donations but he himself is claiming that people are raising RM100 million to topple him. I say show proof, or else apologise,” said Theng. “Two weeks ago in Johor, he called some MCA members gangsters. If that is so, then he is the head of gangsters.”

Theng also took the transport minister to task for making himself a “hero” over his ministry’s probe of the scandal hit Port Klang Free Zone.

“Just appoint professionals to investigate and submit the findings to the relevant authorities. He said he will be sacked (for investigating). But only the prime minister can sack him. Since he is showing disrespect, he should resign.”

Tee Keat’s past history as MCA youth chief was also dredged up.

“He caused the 803 crisis,” said Theng, referring to a chair throwing fiasco at the Flamingo Hotel in August 2001 that embarrassed the party.

One of the MCA grassroots leader present, Datuk Dr Wong Sai Hou, Petaling Jaya Utara division secretary and former Selangor state assemblyman, said that the party cannot afford another crisis.

“As the Bob Dylan song goes, when will we ever learn?” he said.

He also quoted Chinese sayings to chide Ong for his actions.

“Don’t smear blood on other people’s faces. When the water in the river subsides, the stones will be revealed,” said Wong. “The truth will prevail.”

Other supporters expressed indignation over the relatively youthful Ong sacking the older Chua.

“Never before has this happened,” fumed one man. “It’s like the son sacking the father.”

Chua today said that he would take a short family vacation but kept mum on whether he will appeal presidential council’s decision at the central committee level before the deadline to do so expires in 14 days. (TMI)