Tee Keat: Service to people not affected

Ong: I am sorry

KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA has never slowed down its service to the people and community as well as its work in politics and the economy, said party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

Addressing the central delegates at the party’s annual general meeting (AGM), Ong said the party had managed to keep its momentum despite being bogged down by internal problems, something which he said had taken much of his time since he assumed the party’s top post on Oct 18, 2008.

Warm greetings: Ong waving to central delegates and supporters during a break at the party’s 56th AGM in Dewan San Choon yesterday. — DARRAN TAN/ The Star

In his speech, Ong took the opportunity to give the delegates a glimpse of the party’s track record in the past year.

On education, he said the allocation for Chinese primary schools was now directly channelled to the board of directors of the schools.

The Government, he added, had allocated RM50mil to Chinese primary schools and another RM50mil to missionary schools.

Apart from that, Ong said there were also emergency funds for schools to repair buildings.

“Twenty schools have received a total of RM95mil under the emergency funds so far,” he said, adding that proper buildings would enable the schools to maintain, if not increase their student intake.

On the Unified Examination certificate for students from Chinese Independent Schools, Ong said the MCA has been taking concrete steps to help the students.

“Some 1,200 of these students now studying at the local private universities are being charged fees equivalent to those charged by public universities. This is made possible by the party’s HOPE Foundation.”

On socio-economic aspects, Ong said the 1Malaysia Community Alliance NGO consultative council had been set up before Chinese New Year so that there could be constant dialogue with non-governmental organisations.

“We are the people’s companions and speak their mind for them.’’

He said a one-stop centre for small and medium-sized entreprises might be launched soon to aid such industries. “We need to train more technicians in new sectors. We also need to provide job opportunities for school-leavers. Without enhancing our competitive edge, we will be left out,” he said.

In his winding-up speech, Ong said it was all right for him to face setbacks in his personal capacity as a result of his call to investigate the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.

“However, if the party gets dragged along because of the investigation, it is beyond my expectation. If it is true, I feel deeply sorry. It should not affect the party,” he said.

Later at a press conference, Ong said he was in a Catch-22 situation when he instructed investigations into the PKFZ.

“In the 2008 general election, the PKFZ controversy was one of the issues and it had contributed to the bad defeat of Barisan Nasional in Selangor and the Federal Territory. If I did not address it, the impact will be worse by the next general election,” he said.