Trouble brewing in MCA?

SIGN OF SOLIDARITY: Ong and members of the MCA Pandan division hold posters promoting its Chap Goh Mei celebration on Sunday, which will be attended by the prime minister — Malaysiakinipix 

(The Malay Mail) - IT appears as if trouble is brewing in MCA Pandan when five of its senior division officials showed up at Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat's press conference yesterday, as a sign of solidarity with the Pandan MP who has been dropped as a candidate for the coming general election.

Five Pandan MCA division office bearers — deputy chief Tan Chuan Yong, Wanita chief Leong Siew Kam, organising secretary Chung Mun Hing, deputy organising secretary Lee Fook Seng and committee member Lee Cheing Fong — said they were not informed of the decision not to endorse Tee Keat as the area's BN candidate.

Tan and Leong expressed shock over the latest development, saying the division did not meet to decide on the division's nominee as the Pandan candidate — allegations that Tee Keat's successor Gary Lim denies.

Lim when contacted said files on six potential candidates, including Lim and Tee Keat, had been submitted to the party headquarters for the MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek’s selection.

Tan meanwhile said he "tried in vain" to contact division chief Ong Chen Huing to clarify matters and has thus called for an urgent committee meeting today to discuss the latest development.

He said eight out of the 15 division committee members have agreed to attend the meeting.

Also present at the press conference were Umno Taman Cempaka branch chairperson Datuk Mat Aris Yusof, Selangor Gerakan Youth chief Ben Liew, MIC Pandan division Youth chief T.M. Padmanathan and representatives from various local NGOs.

"They are here on their own accord," said Tee Keat, adding that their presence showed Dr Chua's assertion that he did not enjoy the confidence of the division was questionable.

Tee Keat said he had been contesting under the BN banner in every electoral outing and has never used the MCA logo during his campaign.

However, he refused to comment if he would contest as an independent should he be dropped, and also skirted a question on whether Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has indicated that he would be allowed to defend the seat.

Tee Keat also mocked Dr Chua by challenging him to contest in Pandan, since the MCA president had once claimed he was a “winnable candidate anywhere I go”.

“Politicians, in particular a party chief, should know that the ground feedback is a thermometer by which one will know the temperature of the water," Tee Keat said.