Would Chua be so fair, Najib so brave? Tee Keat unlikely to be BN’s man in Pandan

MALAYSIA’S mainstream print and electronic media (MSM) are infamous for news spins, especially when it is about the country’s political affairs.

None of the MSM is free from political control or influence. Even if the newspaper is owned by tycoons, the editorial news gathering teams are subtly controlled and tweaked towards a political slant that serves the personal needs of the owner whose sole agenda is to lobby for a giant’s share of the Barisan Nasional (BN)’s gravy train.

Would Ong be so gullible

Last week (March 16, 2012), the recently revamped Malay Mail ran a report claiming former MCA president and Pandan MP Ong Tee Keat as confirming that he would be contesting and defending his incumbency in the next general election (GE) on a BN ticket.

Unless you think Ong is such a political moron, then at a glance the report is already factually flawed. Do you think Ong, who had been Ampang Jaya and then Pandan MP since 2009, is such a pea-brain to confirm that he is contesting in the coming GE on a BN ticket? The approval and decision to contest on a BN ticket is the prerogative of the BN chairman.

Yes. Ong is now an ordinary MCA member after he was out manoeuvred and ousted by the sex-scandal-tainted Chua Soi Lek.

As MCA president, no matter how immoral he may be (that is the MCA central delegates’ choice, not the Chinese community’s choice or it may not even be the choice of the majority of ordinary MCA members), he has the power to approve and submit his list of proposed party candidates for the BN chief to approve.

This means, BN chairman and Umno president Najib Abdul Razak has the final say whether to accept all the proposed MCA candidates. Those who argue “by convention” is another matter.

Soi Lek still trying to force Ong out of MCA

It is now common knowledge that Chua has since 2010, after engineering Ong’s ouster as MCA president on the back of the multi-billion-ringgit Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) super gravy train, been trying to frustrate Ong to quit the party.

Ong, with the party resources to his disposal, have been sabotaging Ong’s public service campaign in Pandan whenever the opportunity arises.

Ong has a very elaborate service network in Pandan with his OTK Service Centre in Pandan Indah backed by a staff of more than 30 full-time workers.

That he has maintained such a centre for more than 15 years is telling on Ong’s political commitment in Pandan.

With Chua’s tainted political baggage which has also affected MCA’s image, Chua and MCA obviously don’t have the guts to sack Ong blatantly, without solid grounds.

That is the only reason why MCA central leaders have, every now and then issued statements, urging Ong to quit BN-MCA if he could not accept the decisions of the MCA and BN. Some had also urged Ong to submit himself to the MCA and BN if he wishes to contest in the next GE on a BN ticket.

But Ong is playing it smart

Ong had rightly and wisely ignored the calls for him to quit. Neither is he submitting himself to the immoral Chua and MCA. Why should he? That is apparently his principle. You can continue to label him as a Lone Ranger politician or just a stubborn fool but he has courage to stick to his principle.

It is acknowledged that one of the main factors that brought about his ouster as MCA president, and therefore his Cabinet position in 2010, is his relentless expose of the PKFZ financial scandal.

He had risked his political position and comfort to do what is right. Some say, he rocked the boat too much, making too many enemies or “tycoons” in the corridors of power.

Following the Malay Mail report which was picked up and followed up by the MSM and the electronic media, Ong issued a short but telling 6-paragraph statement to clarify the Malay Mail report:

“WHILE thanking Malay Mail for giving me the news coverage in its March 16, 2012, issue (pg 2), I still need to put my short remarks made on the sidelines of a constituency function on March 15, 2012, in the right perspective.

When I was asked if I would contest again in Pandan in the next general election, my reply remained YES, as I had repeatedly said before. But I made no mention of my candidature on a Barisan Nasional (BN) ticket as this is the prerogative of the BN Chairman.

What I remarked was I would continue to serve my constituents till the end of my tenure (referring to the present term as an MP) on BN platform.

I uphold the principle that since I was elected on a BN ticket in 2008, it would be grossly irresponsible for me not to serve my entire tenure on the same platform (or to “jump ship” - to put it plainly), despite the ordeal I had experienced in my political career.

The much rumoured “party-hopping” does not arise as I had never indicated such intention in any occasion. Instead, I fell victim to the rumour-mongers from within and outside MCA.

I maintain that my candidature on whatever platform is secondary to my commitment and loyalty to the people, especially my Pandan electorate. Nonetheless I am thankful to all views, comments and interest expressed following the press report.”

Good feedback show Chinese still want Ong to represent them

There was plenty of responses from readers, some emotional and some plain rude and crude, depending on which side of the political divide you stand.

MCA insiders say after Ong was toppled by a complex conspiracy involving political traitors, he had since kept his cards close to his chest.

Based on readers’ comments, there are some who want Ong to quit the rottenly corrupt BN to contest on a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) platform or as an Independent.

The politically more emotional want him to make a clear stand and quit BN-MCA immediately.

Now, I wish to highlight Ong’s statement: “What I remarked was I would continue to serve my constituents till the end of my tenure (referring to the present term as an MP) on BN platform.

I uphold the principle that since I was elected on a BN ticket in 2008, it would be grossly irresponsible for me not to serve my entire tenure on the same platform (or to “jump ship” - to put it plainly), despite the ordeal I had experienced in my political career.

The much rumoured “party-hopping” does not arise as I had never indicated such intention in any occasion. Instead, I fell victim to the rumour-mongers from within and outside MCA.”

Many PR elected representatives had since the March 2008 political tsunami jumped ship to join BN or become BN-friendly elected representatives (whatever that means is left to your imagination) and ostracized by many political sentimentalists.

Now, if Ong is to do the same, will he not be in the same mould as the King of Frogs, Ibrahim “Perkasa Katak” Ali, or the equally despised then DAP Perak Deputy Speaker Hee Yit Foong who turned traitor to her party and electorate to help bring about the fall of the Perak PR government.

Special Branch tailing Ong

To me, the best way to judge a politician is by his deeds and actions. To date, Ong is seen as a man who sticks to his principles, not necessary yours and mine, as can be seen in the PKFZ issue, the abuse of the Johor Chinese school development fund in which he refused to apologise to the then Education Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and the on-going Jalan Petaling land grab attempts carried out in the guise of MRT development and currently no other elected representative from the BN or MCA have dared to openly take a firm and strong stand against the interest of the powerful and influential for the Chinatown stakeholders.

If one is to scrutinize and follow Ong’s blog and news, you will find that he has been distributing all kinds of aid and providing a varied of public services using BN allocations. That is the current advantage Ong is delivering to his electorate.

On whether Ong will contest on a BN ticket or not in the next GE, it is anyone’s guess for now. The party insiders say even the police Special Branch has been trailing Ong everywhere and at every public function to submit reports to determine whether Ong is still politically friendly and loyal to BN.

But would Najib dare rock the BN boat

If you think BN chairman Najib has the guts to rock the boat and tell the immoral Chua and MCA to go and fly a kite because he wants to field Ong as a winnable candidate in Pandan, then he may likely be contesting on a BN ticket.

But, I don’t think so because PM Najib does not even have the courage to defend his 1Malaysia battle cry against the likes of Ibrahim “Perkasa” Ali, Utusan Malaysia and now the PAS turncoat racist and religious fanatic Hassan Ali.

So, my best bet is that Ong is heading towards anti-BN and that the platform is a choice that he will have to make when Parliament is dissolved to pave the way for fresh national polls and he is dropped like a hot potato by BN-MCA.

Jackson Ng is a Retired Journalist