Tee Keat says pities Soi Lek, tells him to seek psychiatric help

Ong alleges that Chua's latest tirade against him is an attempt to ensure Ong does not make the cut as a candidate in the 13th GE.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat took a swipe at successor Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek via Facebook yesterday, saying he pitied the MCA president and suggested that he seek psychiatric treatment.

The remarks, made in response to Dr Chua's latest tirade against Ong, were clearly to rebuke the MCA president, who was himself a psychiatrist in the years before he became a full-fledged politician.

“I really pity him. This is just a fresh round of OTK-bashing, a cyclical recurrence of d same symptom during festive season, more so b4 GE13. He needs help from a psychiatrist perhaps,” Ong wrote on his Facebook page yesterday.

But despite his “pity” for Dr Chua, Ong also alleged that his foe's latest salvo was likely an attempt to ensure that he does not make the cut to contest in the 13th general election.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insider today, Ong confirmed that he had been referring to Dr Chua on his Facebook.

When asked what he felt were the reasons behind Dr Chua's latest attack on him, the former MCA president repeated that this had been going on since last year, particularly during the festive season.

“It happened last year during the Chinese New Year and then again this year, during the same celebration.

“But this time, it is happening a little earlier than expected and the only reason I can think of is that it is because of the 13GE,” he said.

“I can understand what he wants ... he wants to ensure that I have no locus standi to contest in the polls,” Ong suggested.

During a recent meeting with a group of pro-Umno bloggers on Wednesday, Dr Chua reportedly accused Ong of using his “faction” of supporters in Malacca to try and sabotage him.

According to Syed Akbar Ali (syedsoutsidethebox.blogspot.com), a pro-Umno blogger who attended the meeting, the MCA president had also predicted that Ong would likely leave the party if the coming election results in a hung parliament.

“Revisiting the issue of factionalism and lack of support he spoke bluntly about the Ong Tee Keat faction trying to sabotage him in Melaka.  Dr Chua feels that if there is a hung Parliament after the general elections, Ong Tee Keat may just pack his bags and leave. Like Chua Jui Ming,” Syed Akbar said on his blog.

Ong pointed out today that Dr Chua's remarks had come out of the blue, at a time when he had not ruffled the MCA president's feathers in any way.

He insisted that Dr Chua was merely picking a quarrel with him by airing his views through the pro-Umno blogger.

“I have been working quietly and silently. This was a non-issue,” Ong said.

He added that he would not step into the fray by deliberating on Dr Chua's remarks, adding that he had a good giggle when reading the blog posting.

“He can say what he likes. I will continue with my work ... I will not be distracted,” he said.

Ong had been elected to head the party in 2008, before a struggle within the party led to a re-election in 2010 when Dr Chua won and took over as MCA president.

It is understood that Ong has been favoured by senior leaders in Umno to defend his Pandan parliamentary seat because of his personal popularity.

But his rival Dr Chua is understood to favour another candidate.

The MCA president also faces questions about whether he should stand as a candidate for Barisan Nasional, because of his sex scandal history.

In late 2007, video copies of Dr Chua engaged in sex acts with his mistress were circulated publicly, and led to his resignation as the health minister.

He was also not put up as a candidate in Election 2008, but made a political comeback in MCA later.