Group wants Tee Keat to retire

Three self-proclaimed Pandan resident representatives want Ong Tee Keat to give up his parliamentary post for new blood in the next polls.

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CHERAS: A group of self-proclaimed Pandan resident representatives today demanded their MP Ong Tee Keat give up his parliamentary seat for new blood and retire in the coming general election.

The group of three, who were from the Gabungan Persatuan Penduduk Parlimen Pandan (Coalition of Pandan Parliamentary Residents Associations), setup in February, said Ong has served for five consecutive terms since 1990, which was “more than enough”.

Gathering in front of Ong’s service center today, they thanked the former MCA boss for doing “a marvelous job” in the area but said it was time to move forward.

“Ong has done a marvelous job, but 25 years is a bit too long,” said the coalition chairman Terence Ee. “Things need to be changed… there are many outstanding Chinese issues to be addressed.”

“We think if he could have done anything about it, he would have done so in the last 25 years. So it’s time to move forward,” he added.

He said the unresolved issues included the influx of foreign traders in the area and limitations faced by Chinese businessmen when doing businesses with federal government.

GPPP member David Kow criticised Ong for failing to bring about significant changes to the constituency.

He said Ong was unable to bring in Klinik 1 Malaysia and Kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia thrift shop for the locals.

“We want an MP who can do big things. It’s time for us to do transformations,” said Kow, who is a BN supporter.

The calls for Ong to quit came after MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek announced last month that the Pandan MCA division has nominated its legal advisor, Gary Lim to contest in the coming elections.

Most of division members later clarified that they had never met to discuss issues pertaining to candidate selections, and the decision to nominate Lim was made between Chua and its division chief.

Ong has repeatedly told the media that he would be defending his seat, even if he was fielded as a direct BN candidate.

Support for Pakatan
Meanwhile, when asked about their definition of change today, the resident representatives gave different reply.

Kow said he would not vote for Pakatan Rakyat’s candidate Rafizi Ramli although the latter was a newcomer.

He said this was because the opposition pact was only good at making promises.

“I am BN supporter. So I will support any young blood fielded by BN,” he said.

Ee said he would cast ballots for the opposition “if there is no alternative”.

He applauded Rafizi for raising “big scale” corruption scandals in the government, but said Ong had taken a different approach to walk on the ground and talk to the people.

In the 2008 polls, Ong defeated his PKR opponent Syed Shahir Syed Muhamad with 2,961 majority votes although the two state seats in his constituency fell to the opposition.