Smear campaign on Ong as Soi Lek tries to erase his influence

The return of Ong vs Chua

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

In a clear sign that his enemies within MCA were increasing efforts to shut him out, former president Ong Tee Keat has found himself at the centre of a storm in a teacup over car plates that bore registration numbers MCA1 to MCA 9999.

Transport Minister Kong Cho Ha, who replaced Ong after he was ousted in a messy power struggle that split their party down the line, had last week implied Ong abused his power by reserving the number plates for MCA.

Ong, the Pandan MP, has denied the allegations and walloped Kong back.

"What was revealed by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha was the memorandum dated Feb 17 and signed by my senior private secretary then. At the time, I was on sick leave following heel surgery. No decision was taken on this. I returned to work in early March. On March 16, outstanding cases were brought before me, some of which I approved and others I rejected, including this case - rejected," Bernama reported Tee Keat as saying.

The new ruling clique

Kong - ended PKFZ probe when he took over

Indeed, with a year to go for the MCA to hold its 2011 party polls, battle lines are already being drawn by current president Chua Soi Lek and his loyalists which include Kong. Already, Chua and his team appear to have forgotten their promises to close ranks and reunite the MCA. Instead, they appear to be busy consolidating their grip on the Chinese-based party.

This would include knocking out Ong and his supporters. In fact, they have already cut Ong loose by stripping him of the Transport portfolio. And with latest car-plates brouhaha, it looks like 'phase two' will involve a major smear campaign against Ong and his camp.

“It certainly looks like the new ruling clique wants to totally wipe out Ong Tee Keat’s influence in the party. First, the 9888 radio station scandal and now the car plates,” PKR strategic director Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

Their real target

Tian was referring to the sacking of key staff at MCA-owned 988 radio station, including popular dee-jay Jamaluddin Ibrahim. 988’s flagship Zhao Dian Shuo Ma or Say Hi to Malaysia show is very popular with the Chinese-speaking crowd, who enjoy the discussions on current issues and regular phone-in sessions. The station has previously claimed an audience of more than a million listeners - a large number of whom are MCA grassroots.

Jamaluddin has lashed out at Soi Lek

Chua, who has been accused of shutting down the show because Jamaluddin was an ardent Ong supporter, had promised to lead MCA for only one year and to step down at the 2011 polls. But a string of recent incidents, including the promotion of his son to a deputy minister’s post, has sparked uneasiness that he will renege on his word.

“The next showdown will be much more dirty than the 2009 power struggle. Chua has already armed himself for war with his famous team of cyber-troopers. He may go after Pakatan Rakyat and Perkasa but the real target is Ong, because at the moment, the mood in MCA is that at least Ong despite his angin is still more trustworthy,” an MCA watcher told Malaysia Chronicle.