Path clears for Tee Keat comeback

The ex-MCA president wins election as a Kubang Pasu delegate to the crucial December AGM.

PETALING JAYA: Former MCA president Ong Tee Keat has qualified to contest in the party’s national polls, having passed the last hurdle on Monday by being elected as a Kubang Pasu divisional delegate to the annual general meeting on Dec 22.

With that ticket, the former Pandan MP, who helmed the party from 2008 to 2010, can even make a comeback by entering the presidential race.

However, Ong told FMT he had yet to decide whether to contest for any position in the MCA central committee.

“I am occupied with some other work; so I have yet to think about it,” he said.

Should Ong decide to gun for the presidency, he will probably be fighting against incumbent Chua Soi Lek and his current deputy, Liow Tiong Lai.

Liow has announced his intention to contest while Chua is expected to revert on his decision not to defend his post.

Rumours of Chua making a U-turn heated up on Monday when he made the bizarre move of entering the race to be one of the Batu Pahat delegates to the AGM despite already being a delegate by virtue of his presidency.

It is widely speculated that he wants the flexibility of quitting the presidency anytime from now and returning to contest on Dec 22.

Also on Monday, Chua relinquished his chairmanship of the Batu Pahat division after 27 years at the helm. He handed it over to the division’s secretary, Kang Beng Kuan.

The MCA divisional elections are characterised by a factional skirmish between the Chua and Liow camps.

Chua’s right-hand men such as secretary-general Kong Chong Ha, central committee member Tan Chin Meng, legal bureau chief Tay Puay Chuan and Kedah liaison committee chief Chong Itt Chew are facing challenges from Liow’s supporters in defending their posts as chairmen.

Kong, Tan, Tay and Chong are the incumbent chairmen in Lumut, Ipoh Barat, Muar and Alor Setar.

Chua’s lieutenants are ambushing Liow’s camp as they seek to unseat Wangsa Maju division leader Yew Teong Look and Seputeh chief Chai Kim Sen.

Yew is a member of the anti-Chua Save Party Committee 3.0.

The divisional elections will be held on Sept 22, and the outcome will frame the voting pattern for Dec 22.