Why delay the Penang Port Commission chairman’s extension

Why delay the Penang Port Commission chairman’s extension

Tan Cheng Liang - victim of political power play?

KUALA LUMPUR - Pandan MP Dato’ Seri Ong Tee Keat wants to know why Transport Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha has delayed the extension of Tan Cheng Liang’s appointment as Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman.

Ong, a former transport minister, wants Kong to state whether he was trying to replace Tan as PPC chairman although her extension had been approved by the Prime Minister and endorsed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

“If it is true that Kong is trying to drop Tan as chairman, we want to know why? If it is not true, why has she not been given the one-year extension appointment letter,” Ong asked.

Tee Keat soldiers on – with or without MCA

If Tee Keat is dropped as a Candidate for Pandan , and is forced to contest as an Independent Candidate , we will ALL follow him and contests as Independent Candidates and to HELL with MCA and the pornstar ! This is my message to the Dicky !

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 06:00

By Teoh El Sen

KUALA LUMPUR: Politics aside, former transport minister and ex-MCA president Ong Tee Keat is a down-to-earth kind of guy.

That's why these days, the Pandan MP has been going to the ground to serve not only his constituents, but also the public at large, living up to his new catchphrase: "My commitment is to the people. It remains unchanged."

Ong is steadfast in this public duty despite talk that he could be dropped as an MCA candidate in the Pandan seat in the next general election.

In the last of a three-part interview with FMT, Ong said he now has more time to go back to, and focus on, the type of community work that he loves doing all this while -- with or without the support of his party.

He said he is now using the NGO platform – notably Yayasan Bakti Nusa – in spearheading more community programmes of late.

Ong is continuing his efforts in HOPE (Higher Opportunities for Private Education), an initiative to help students who failed to get into public universities to obtain places at private universities at subsidised rates.

He is also launching another project called TRAIN (Technical Resource and Internship Network), a vocational training programme for school leavers and dropouts.

Apart from his popular weekly mobile clinic project in Pandan, Ong also recently started a baby hatch project to save abandoned babies and a “city survival” programme to help women cope with urban living.

Of late, Ong is spending more time indulging in his hobby – reading. He has also taken up a new "job" as a columnist for several news outlets.

Below are excerpts of the interview:

FMT: Since your departure as transport minister, how have you been spending your time in your Pandan constituency?

Ong Tee Keat: In the past months since I left, I've been spending more time in my constituency doing community work largely conducted by Yayasan Bakti Nusa Malaysia.

I am still playing the role of executive adviser to Yayasan Bakti Nusa (an NGO formed more than 10 years ago). On top of that, of late, I have just started my column for the Malay, Chinese and English media. On and off, I also find time to pursue my hobby -- reading. Not just politics but also memoirs of celebrities, especially political celebrities. That is how I spend my time.

Can you elaborate more on these 'NGO activities' by Yayasan Bakti Nusa?

When I was serving as a deputy minister some years ago, I had conceived the idea of enhancing access to local university education. Through a programme known as HOPE (www.hope.org.my), we have formed a committee to monitor the intake of 16 private universities. If they still have excess seats available, we will help students who failed to gain entry into public universities to enrol in anyone of these private institutions. Their subsidised tuition fees are comparable to those of public universities. Thus, we are offering a second chance to those who didn't get into public universities.

So this HOPE programme is still ongoing?

Yes it is. We introduced this on Jan 1, 2007, with the 16 participating universities. To date, we have more than 1,000 students sponsored under the HOPE programme.

So this is really something close to your heart?

Yes, certainly. Now we are undertaking a second phase: we are taking in SPM and UEC students instead of only STPM students. (The UEC exam is for Chinese independant schools.) For those students who can't afford the subsidised rate, we can assist them to apply for the government-sponsored National Higher Education Fund Corporation loans.

There is another initiative of yours called TRAIN (Technical Resource and Internship Network). Could you tell us more about this?
TRAIN is not train coaches. But it is a new manpower or vocational training programme specifically meant for dropouts or school leavers. We know that the dropouts will not be taken in by government-run vocational schools which require an SPM qualification. But dropouts, especially those who don't have adequate proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia and English, are the people left in the lurch. TRAIN (www.train.org.my) provides courses to enable them to acquire entrepreneurial skills so that they can secure a better livelihood.

I am going to launch a new phase after Hari Raya. Some of the courses are conducted in Mandarin, some in Bahasa... it depends on the needs of the students.
What we want to make sure is that the early school leavers have a platform to acquire the necessary skills in a language they are comfortable in. Because if you were to conduct courses in a language they don't understand, it will defeat the purpose.

Where is TRAIN based and how many students do you have?

This is just the beginning... when we enter the new phase, it would be more realistic for us to announce the figures. So far, we have managed to take in more than 200 students. Currently, TRAIN is based in the Klang Valley, but we want to have more training personnel to join us.

How and why were HOPE and TRAIN conceived?

I was prompted to start these two programmes as a result of my own personal experience. When I was 13, I nearly became a dropout and joined the child labour force. This was because my dad suddenly passed away.

Those days we needed to pay school fees and we struggled. I had gone through all this with my brother so I know it is extremely challenging. My elder brother was a dropout and throughout his working life as an electrician, he never got his skills certified just because of his lack of proficiency in Bahasa and English. He is now retired.
So, you may have the working experience, but you still can get nowhere. I have seen enough cases like this in our community. I wanted to make sure this was changed.

As for HOPE, when I served as the MCA Youth chief, every year without fail, throngs of students came to us to seek our help because they couldn't get into local public universities. We have to register their names and bring up their cases to the authorities. But I don't really believe in fighting endless battles, so I started HOPE.

Where does the funding of these projects come from?

We started from very limited funds. We don't have the hard cash to meet the demands of each and every person. But the participating universities are subsidising; after all, we are using their excess, unused seats and they had agreed to do this as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility or community service inititiative.

What other programmes are you working on?

I started two other social intervention programmes for women and children. First is the city survival programme meant for women and second is the life-saving project for abandoned babies.

Are there many baby-dumping cases in Pandan and why are you teaching women about city survival?

Not only in Pandan but also in the greater Kuala Lumpur and Ampang Jaya. When I thought about these two programmes, I had in mind not only Pandan but also the country as a whole. It is going to be a series of nationwide programmes. This is not going to be a political (undertaking) but based on humanitarian grounds. It is imperative for us to do something about this.

We are focused on life-saving because we don't want to get embroiled in age-old polemics of whether it is moral or immoral to abandon babies. Suffice to say, we are concerned about saving lives.
As for city survival, women need to learn to be more streetwise and be given sufficient knowledge and information on the latest developments in the crime scene.

Is this your own brainchild or are you getting help from the MCA, or is this strictly NGO work?

I would say that is my brainchild. At the same time I am aided by my NGO friends, who would often engage in a brainstorming session with me over lunch.
When I was vice-president, I brought these programmes to the MCA, but I must admit that at that material time, it did not seem to attract much attention from the MCA leaders.

With or without their participation, we managed to kickstart this programme without any financial aid from the government. But I did not brag about this.
Also, in each constituency, we have a committee under the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development called the Council of Welfare and Social Development (Mayang). I am the chairman of Pandan Mayang. When I am asked time and again if I would party-hop, I would answer that my loyalty is to the people. When I say this, it's not platitude and neither is it rhetorical. I mean business. Even without a ministerial post, I won't give up my endeavours. These are my brainchild. I have to work them out and give them a new lease of life.


How about your mobile clinic project, how is that coming along?

Every Sunday morning without fail, our mobile clinic with doctors and nurses has been going round from community to community in Pandan since February this year. This is for the urban poor, especially the low and middle low-income groups.
We could see that residents in apartment or flats are responding positively. In just a few hours, we could have a crowd of about 200 people. Sometimes it could rise to 400 and so we have to extend our time.

We are planning to start another mobile clinic. When we talk about the urban poor, we can go on talking all day, but we also need such an intervention programme. I spend at least one hour at each stop. Sometimes I just put on my jeans and walk in and talk to the waiting crowd. Through this programme, we even managed to identify some of the common problems of the people living in the same area. Sometimes it's linked to local concerns such as the quality of drinking water.

Do you find any problem serving your constituency without holding any national post in both the party and the government?

Of course. Without the ministerial portfolio, fund allocations under the minister's quota would definitely be taken away from me. Now I work within the bounds of limited funds in my constituency. But that has in no way dampened my commitment to serve the people in Pandan.

Are you working on anything to raise funds?

Fundraising for a backbencher would not be as easy as you think, compared to a minister's effort.

At this juncture are you involved in any businesses?

No. When I say that I need to spend time and need to focus on my work, I really mean it. There's no such thing as part-time business or being a part-time boss. And I don't believe in half-heartedness in doing things.

Would you be confident of a win if you were given another chance to contest this parliamentary seat?

Well, of late, there has been speculation that I would most likely be dropped as an MCA candidate for the Pandan seat. I am keeping my fingers crossed... My commitment to serving the people remains unchanged.

Also read:

Crusader Ong did it all for justice

Ong still casts long shadow over MCA

Crusader Ong did it all for justice

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 23:14

By Teoh El Sen

KUALA LUMPUR: Ong Tee Keat is no stranger to controversy. In fact, he is well-known for his crusade against corruption in the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) "mother of all scandals".

In this second part of a recent interview with FMT, Ong answers several questions related to the many scandals and controversies he has been, in one way or another, involved in.

Ong said more big names are still unaccounted for in the PKFZ scandal, in which five people have been charged, but up Dr Ling Liong Sik came as a surprise to him.

PKFZ, the commercial and industrial project, was initially conceived as a RM1.82 billion venture constructed over 1,000 acres but the costs ballooned to RM12.5 billion. After the project's financial records were audited, allegations of corruption, conflict of interest and breach of trust surfaced.

On the controversial Automated Enforcement System (AES), the nationwide speed cameras system set to be implemented, Ong said he had dealt with the matter when he was transport minister.

The AES has come under fire for allegedly awarding the project to "crony companies", but Ong questioned why the disgruntled companies had not complained sooner but had cried foul to him later on.

He said though he did not know the details prior to his ministerial position, the marks the companies had received (in live demonstation of the AES in 2007) were clear answers, and he stood by his decision to follow the test results from the tender process on the companies that scored the highest.

In the interview, Ong also condemned the sacking of two senior executives and a deejay in Chinese-language 98.8 FM radio station, but declined to say if he thought MCA (which owns the station) and its president Dr Chua Soi Lek were behind it, as was widely speculated. He chose instead to say that the facts of the case speak for themselves.

Excerpts of the interview are as below:

FMT: On the Port Klang Free Zone scandal, are you satisfied with the recent developments wheres culprits are being brought to book, especially the charging of Dr Ling Liong Sik?

Ong Tee Keat: Charging anybody came much to my surprise, especially in terms of timing and the wording of the charges itself.

Based on the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) audit report released on May 28, last year, I set up three independent panels to probe into the areas of concern raised by PWC. One was to zero in on all the doubts raised in the PWC report, the second was to institutionalise good governance within the statutory bodies, especially under ministry of transport; and lastly to turn around the PKFZ project.

The reports were submitted to me by two of the panels on Aug 10 last year. I handed them over to the government, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and commercial crime police. I presume (the reports) had been very useful to the authorities.

They say there are more people involved in the PKFZ yet to be charged, some say even politicians from Umno?

When we first conducted the PWC audit and later (set up) the independent panels, one salient point I told the panels was that no political interference should ever be allowed, not even from the minister's department or even my office.

We made sure the reports remained uncensored, not even a word -- and we did it.

To answer your questions if other individuals were involved or implicated... certainly (there were people named) in the reports submitted to me that I subsequently handed over to the government. (Those people) cut across partisan or racial lines, because we don't look at that. Whoever is being named would never be given any due consideration on their social status or party affiliation.

So there are more names not yet charged?

Yes, a few other names were mentioned in the audit report...

But Ling Liong Sik's name was never in the audit report, right?

The report was more focused on the development work whereas the land deal took place quite some years ago. When I first started the investigation, I started from scratch. I couldn't get any documents or information really. And a lot of things were not within the scope of my knowledge. In Ling's case, it was related to a land deal and my investigation was focused on the development of PKFZ.

What do you mean when you say you were surprised by the timing of the charge?

It's because it took place after such a long time, after the submission of my panel reports. It's already been one year plus. All of a sudden Ling was charged. That certainly caught everybody by surprise.

Do you regret bringing up the PKFZ issue?

Never. But perhaps I should have chosen a different timing. But honestly at that point of time, I was duty-bound to clear it up.

How has the case against Tiong (where Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Tiong King Sing claimed that he gave Ong RM10 million last year for the party's activities) affected your credibility?

I must say I don't know if the belated clearance (from MACC) helps or not. But if you say there is no effect whatsoever from those allegations, it's not true. Suffice to say, I have gone through such an ordeal especially at the height of the MCA crisis; this issue was time and again used as ammunition by detractors.

Moving on to the 98.8 FM radio station and the recent incident where DJ Jamaluddin Ibrahim was asked to go on leave and CEO Wong Lai Ngo and senior programme manager Tan Chia Yong suspended(all three have since been sacked). Is it politically motivated?

I know the development of the entire episode, which I noted with great concern. The only thing I want to say is what I experienced and what I know.

When I was the president of MCA, there had been numerous cases of complaints against certain DJs and certain programmes of 98.8 and I was urged to interfere. Some programmes were deemed detrimental to the image of certain leaders. But I chose not to interfere because I did not believe in such a move. I refrained from doing it because that would set a bad precedent of political interference.

But you wouldn't say if this is being done now?

Yes, I noted it with great concern. I was watching what was going on. But I want to make no specific comments.

But do you think there is something more than meets the eye here, not just a normal turnover?

To my understanding, a show-cause letter means that whoever is accused of doing something would have an opportunity to defend his case. A show-cause letter is not tantamount to sacking. I am saying this in general, and not referring to Jamal's case per se.

Do you think Jamal was treated unfairly then?

Let the facts speak for themselves, whether the case is being handled justly or not. The public perception and judgment speak volumes.

Could we move on to the controversy concerning the purchase of China CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co Ltd train coaches? You have replied this in a blog post. Are there any further developments on this?

No. I've said what I had to say... and that was prompted by the mere fact that certain individuals did not seem to have done sufficient homework.

Raising doubts is one thing, but in raising doubts you must substantiate with convincing facts and figures, and you must understand the subject matter well. This applies to anybody... the whistleblower could be partisan or non-partisan, but you must get it right. If at all you want to pursue a case, in the name of justice... you want to make sure justice prevails. If you can't get it right, you are misguided and went in the wrong direction. Then at the end of the day, even if it was a genuine scandal, people might go off tangent. If at all it is a real case, the perpetrators, if any, could very well go scot-free because you didn't do it right.

Just like in the case of PKFZ for instance; no doubt, the first whistleblower -- the opposition politicians -- they made a hue and cry. But the problem is when I first took over the portfolio, I had no choice but to read over what I could find and resurrect the issue. Honestly, I couldn't make any inroads at all, because apparently they cried foul just by suspecting something was amiss, but crying foul alone, you may end up with nothing. I experienced that.

Another issue that was raised was the Automated Enforcement System (AES), the speed camera system. There are allegations that there are inconsistencies in the tender process. Another complaint was from a local company that said it was sidelined eventhough its AES was homegrown technology and scored high marks in the tender process (live demonstration of the AES). What was your role in this?

On the AES, a live demonstration was conducted in 2007 before I came in (as transport minister). The demo or test enabled all the bidders to demonstrate their competitive edge. I was told and shown evidence that each and every bidder had its own performance assessed, and the marks they secured in the test.

What happened was that the sore losers then cried foul later on, even to me. In the first place, why didn't they cry foul at that material time? They couldn't asnwer me why they didnt raise their objections then.

The live demo itself was attended by a independant panel of judges, including from the judiciary, and representatives from the Anti-Corruption Agency (now MACC).

At that material time, it was not under me but under my predecessor (Chan Kong Choy). When I took over, I based everything on the findings of the live demo; of course I had to proceed. I strictly followed the outcome of the demo, which was supervised and overseen by the panel of judges, that's all. I made no fresh recommendations.

So you agreed to award the two companies?

Because that's the only thing we could fall back on. We cannot simply overrule certain things without solid reasons.

You are saying that when you were the transport minister, those companies complained to you but you couldn't find anything wrong?

So far I think there were two companies which complained. The problem was: why did you score low marks? If at all you thought the modus operandi was unfair, you could have raised objections then.

Making allegations against others is different from putting up your defence to justify your cause. The simple question was, "Why didn't you raise this then?"

But hypothetically, if they were right about the possibility of favouritism, is it possible for a review of the tender process?

I did grant such a latitude by revisiting the live demo, especially the results of the live demo. But the conclusion was that the marks scored by the complainants could in no way prompt a decision to overrule what has been decided.

Also read:

Ong still casts long shadow over MCA

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:23

By Teoh El Sen

KUALA LUMPUR: Many may have thought former MCA president Ong Tee Keat would remain low key after he lost his top post to Dr Chua Soi Lek in the March party elections after the leadership crisis, but that could not be further from the truth.

Despite also being stripped of his ministerial position in June, Ong's presence is still very much felt -- if not feared.

But while talk is rife that he is set to challenge Chua in next year's party elections, Ong has so far decided not to commit on the possibility of himself making a great comeback.

Instead, according to Ong, he never left the political scene. In fact, the Pandan MP of late has been busying himself with community work and focusing on serving his constituents.

In a recent interview with FMT, Ong subtly lambasted Chua for stirring up the recent debate on Bumiputera equity, saying Chua is "21 years too late" in bringing this up as these were nothing new.

Ong, who said the current political discourses are just a repeat of the past, said the MCA already had long deliberated over the necessity of meritocracy and needs in place of a quota system.

Below are excerpts of the interview:

FMT: If ex-president Ong Ka Ting could attempt a comeback, couldn't you make a comeback as well?

Ong Tee Keat: People ask me whether I can come back or not; my answer is that I never left politics in the first place, notwithstanding that I was defeated in the MCA party elections on March 28 this year. So the question of whether I am coming back or not never arises. If a guy has never left the scene, then what do you mean by returning?

Hypothetically, if you really were to come back, would you do things differently from what you have done before?

This is hypothetical, but in all fairness, a person would certainly need to take stock of the past events. I think, given the advantage of hindsight, I do admit to a few things (that I could have done differently). Firstly, when we talk about party transformation, I think such transformation should not be confined to ideals that you propose but you must allow it sufficient time to be propagated and accepted by the grassroots. At the same time, we need to make allowance because 'transformational pain' might hurt certain people or quarters.

On top of that, one should not have too many battle fronts at the same time. When I took over the presidency, I kickstarted the PWC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) audit, and for the first time, the PKFZ (Port Klang Free Zone) came into the limelight and became a high-profile case. I underestimated the extent of involvement, implicating some party heavyweights. So all these actually were things I needed to give some thoughts to.

What about the party transformation within the party? Did you succeed in anything then?

(When I was party president) I did push for the proactive engagement of NGOs as dialogue partners. Not just some stereotyped meetings or fellowship sessions, but rather I was then trying to establish a mechanism to engage the NGOs. The various NGOs and not just the Chinese guilds and associations but also social interest NGOs and at the same times professional and religious bodies. I believe in soliciting their views, which would facilitate in our policy making. I also did attempt to push for direct presidential election, but unfortunately that did not gain sufficient inroads. Some of them (party members) did not buy into the idea.

Many people see Chua Soi Lek only as a transitional leader, what do you think of that statement?

I don't know. After the MCA party election made such a decision, I made no comments about the election itself, nothing on the outcome, nor have I ever commented on his (Chua's) leadership. Certainly, we need to abide by the outcome of the election.

In the few months Chua has been president, how do you gauge his performance? Has he stabilised the party?

Put it this way, I don't believe in the political semblance of stability. We want to know the true scenario. Of course, at this juncture, I choose not to comment on his leadership. Let the people decide.

On the recent more vocal MCA stand in asking for a gradual removal of the 30% Bumiputera equity, do you think Chua has managed to handle the issue well, or do you think MCA should go all the way? What would you have done?

The latest situation has spoken volumes on whether he (Chua) took it as a party stand or party demand or a mere proposal. I think by now it is crystal clear (what he stood for) because, later on, he put it out by saying that it was a "mere proposal", it was not an insistence or a demand.

But do you think it is fair to ask for this proposal?

To me, the same thing was said and elaborated as well as deliberated some 21 years ago. Meaning, he is 21 years too late. In 1989, the National Economic Consultative Council (NECC) was convened to deliberate on the post-NEP policy. That was the year I was an MCA representative in the NECC. Every week we had sessions and this lasted for three years.

These arguments were the things brought up as a party stand, not a mere proposal. Party representatives, including myself, a young MP in the MCA team then, deliberated extensively on the party stand that proposed the necessity for us to practise meritocracy and needs in the place of quota.

Do you agree with some people saying that Chua has already 'backed out' from his earlier position?

I remember what I said in 1989: the same thing is being uttered now. We did not just mention this in a skeletal form, we did not just say it in a single sentence then.

We deliberated and even cross swords with other debaters as well. We were then very well equpped. Honestly I was taken aback. I said 'after 21 long years, this was resurrected', but of course some people are taking it as something new. Talking about needs and merits is nothing new.

So are you still supporting this stand for the removal of Bumi equity?

Yes. In fact, I remember what I said and deliberated, and of course I stand by my argument. I did deliberate on the issue in the perspective that over the years, we have been overly obsessed with not just the ethnic quota but also the percentage of ethnic possession of national wealth.

Normally, we come across such figures as the 'Chinese X percentage" and the "Bumi percentage" whenever we talk about the distribution of national wealth.

But those figures are meaningless to me. Because when we talk about 'Chinese X percentage', it doesn't mean that that is the magnitude of national wealth distributed fairly and equally among all the Chinese. That might be possessed by a handful of Chinese. I think we should be mindful of the economic desparity between the 'have' and 'have nots' within the same ethnic group. I said all these in the late 80s.

I had said that, on the one hand, we talked about needs and merits but, on the other, it would not give us a correct perspective if we continue to be obsessed with the so-called 'ethnic percentage'.

As I have said, we should ensure a level playing field. Meaning, when we talk about equality we need equality in terms of opportunity. Equal opportunities don't equate to equal outcomes.

So you mean we should go for both equal opportunities and equal outcomes?

I am more concerned about equal opportunities. I don't believe that anybody can ever ensure equal outcomes. Because we have a host of other factors affecting the outcome. At the end of the day, it depends on how much effort you put in.

But of course at the same time, we consider the less privileged, that's where the element of needs comes in. Because the less privileged, especially the physically disabled -- those who are handicapped in one way or another -- are the people who need our special attention.

What do you think of Perkasa and its comments?

Again, this is what I call 'old wine in a new bottle': the kind of racial remarks made are the exact repetition of what we came across in the late 70s and 80s. The only difference is that now on the stage, we have a new set of players, playing the same tune. The same story plot, people uttering the same remarks.

Now that you are no longer holding a top party post, do you still feel you have support within the party for your political future?

Well I think we need to look at the bigger picture. And so far I have never ceased in engaging the people. Not just the electorate but people outside my constituency; not just through Facebook but through other means of communication. I wouldn't confine my scope of vision to within my party or just the party portfolio.

Given a worse-case scenario of a bleak future in MCA, do you have any thoughts of leaving the party for greener pastures, any thoughts of such a possibility?

No. In fact that has not crossed my mind so far because I had experienced worst ordeals in MCA in earlier years. At one time I was about to be expelled in 2003. Even then, I never harboured such a thought. When I am asked about where I place my loyalties, without hesitation I say my loyalty is with the people. And that doesn't mean I'm going to jump ship.

How is the party transformation initiated by the party leadership going?

I don't know. I have left the party leadership. I only came to know about issues linked to the party from the newspapers, just like any one of you. I have been totally kept away from the party in the few recent months.

Meaning no invitations?

Nope. Nothing.

Do you think this is a natural or deliberate move? So far the president has also not visited your constituency?

Let's put it this way: I never waste my time speculating. Not that I'm concerned over anything but because I think I have better things to do, more things that warrant my attention which are matters of public interest.

How do you think the party will perform in the next general election?

I don't know, since I don't have the benefit of knowing what the party is doing now. Certainly it is unfair for me to pre-judge the party's performance in any coming elections.

What are the real obstacles keeping the party from doing well?

Politics is a game of perception and definitely at the same time, we need to take cognisance of the fact that MCA needs to regain its credibility and this could only be done through convincing transformation. Meaning we not only need transformation, it must also be convincing. It must not be done just for a public relations exercise or sloganeering sake. It must be done thoroughly; you must convince the people that you are truly embarking on the path of transformation and that you have managed to produce some visible results. Result-oriented and public interest-driven. That's why I say perception (is important) because people form perceptions based on what they see. And if you can't produce results convincingly, how can you expect the people to have positive perceptions?

DAP rep demands apology from Tee Keat or will sue

Want to sue , sue lah ! What for , talk so much ?

By Boo Su-Lyn

September 03, 2010

Ong to be sued if he does not apologise to Lee

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 — DAP assemblyman Jenice Lee threatened today to sue Pandan MP Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat if he failed to publically apologise for allegedly defaming her.

Lee refuted Ong’s accusations that she had abused public funds for a campaign since 2007 to build a Chinese primary school in Pandan Perdana, which has yet to materialise.

“There are some false allegations in Ong Tee Keat’s blog,” Lee said in a statement today.

“After my clarification today I demanded (sic) Ong Tee Keat to apologize and make a clarification openly, otherwise I will sue him for defamation,” she added.

Ong had said that his service centre recently received complaints from local residents who claimed they had donated to the DAP by buying hand-held fans bearing Lee’s portrait in support of a school-building project.

The Pandan MP noted that Lee has not made a public account of the donations she had collected, leaving donors in the dark on how their money was spent as there was still no sign of the school. Selangor DAP chief Ean Yong Hian Wah also claimed no knowledge of her donation drive.

“Collecting money from the public by claiming that they are being raised for a non-existent school reeks of abuse and is in bad taste,” Ong wrote in his blog entry posted on August 31.

Lee dismissed the allegations and insisted that the donations she had collected since 2007 were for the party to campaign for the school, not to construct it.

The Teratai assemblyman also maintained that she does not need to be accountable to the public over their donations for the party campaign, even as allegations of corruption surfaced against her.

Angry Pandan area residents’ association representatives reportedly highlighted Lee’s alleged misdeeds to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) last Wednesday.

One of the representatives reportedly claimed that some 10,000 fans bearing Lee’s image were sold to donors in her constituency based on her promise of building the school on a plot of land known as a “green-lung” of Pandan Perdana.

Lee said today that she would also sue Ong’s special officer Cindy Leong for falsely accusing her of printing 10,000 fans and selling them for RM50,000.

“This is a very serious allegation and I will sue her for defamation also,” said Lee.

She pointed out that she had only ordered 2,000 fans and raised RM4,773.50 in sales. Campaign expenses however amounted to RM6,173, causing a deficit of RM1,399.50.

Lee said that the shortfall occurred as fans were given to those who donated RM1 although the suggested donation was RM5. She had also allowed donors to take three fans for a donation sum of RM10.

“That was why the selling of merchandise hardly cover(ed) the cost,” said the Teratai assemblyman.

Lee challenged Ong to visit her and peruse the accounts of the party campaign from July to December 2007.

“I am very happy to explain all the usage of public funding to him (Ong) one by one,” she said.

Lee also claimed that Ong had falsely accused her of failing to file an application for land conversion in connection to the school project.

“No applications for conversion had ever been made, making a mockery of the school fund raising project,” said Ong in his blog.

The Teratai assemblyman pointed out that she had visited the site intended for the school in Pandan Perdana on August 31 with Selangor exco Ronnie Liu, Hulu Langat district officer Zainal Abidin A’ala and Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) deputy president Abd Hamid Hussain.

“We also came out with 2 steps solutions to convert the reserve land (green lung) to school reserve land,” said Lee.

The Teratai assemblyman also noted that Ong had never paid the MPAJ for previously using the Taman Muda Community Hall as his office and said that parts of the hall had been rented out for functions.

“In this case, should Ong Tee Keat also declare his account?” she asked.

See article here : Behind the Chinese school controversy : Ong Tee Keat

Behind the Chinese school controversy :Ong Tee Keat

Behind the Chinese school controversy :Ong Tee Keat

Ong Tee Keat

The dire need for a new Chinese primary school in any community is sure to attract support and will hog the limelight as far as the Chinese community is concerned. Politicians from both sides of the political divide will clamour for a piece of the action in the hope of winning the hearts and minds of the ethnic Chinese voters. In their minds, this is a short-cut that will catapult them into political stardom.

The scenario in my constituency, Pandan, is no different. Several months ago, my service centre received complaints from the public of a alleged misuse of public donations collected in 2007 purportedly for the building of a new Chinese primary school on a plot of land which was known to be a “green-lung” of Pandan Perdana. We were shocked to learn of this. However, no action could be taken as there was insufficient evidence to prove any misdeed or misappropriation.

Recently, the issue came to light again when a few individuals, including local residents who used to champion the said cause alongside the then potential DAP candidate for Teratai state constituency, Jenice Lee Ying Ha (present state assemblywoman for Teratai) came forth with more startling expose. They brought along hand-held fans bearing her portrait which they bought in the name of supporting the said school project. They parted with their hard earned money by buying the fans primarily to support a noble cause — the school project — not so much to support any individual personality nor was it to cool them from the hot weather.

That was when their dreams were dashed and nightmare began. Many politicians merely pay lip service to their claims of transparency and accountability. To date, no account of the donations was published, and the generous donors were kept in the dark of where their money had gone to. What is obvious is that there is no sign of any Chinese school in the area concerned.

The complaint was lodged at my service centre, and I was alerted to this incident by my constituency service assistant Cindy Leong. I promptly advised the complainants to lodge an official report to both the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the police. (Cindy Leong was merely escorting them to do the needful. She was not one of the complainants as was erroneously reported in certain media).

This has touched a raw nerve from the other side of the political divide and Jenice herself has come into the open to attempt to explain her stand, which has raised more questions than answers.

1) In the first place, why were the purported funds raised for a new Chinese primary school in Pandan Perdana championed by Jenice declared as DAP Party Funds? I, for one, am not against anyone raising funds for their own political interests and needs. However, collecting money from the public by claiming that they are being raised for a non-existent school reeks of abuse and is in bad taste. The education ministry record shows that such a project had never been approved.

2) Even if the funds raised were meant for her party, the donors and general public have a legitimate expectation to know the accounts such as the amount of monies raised and how far has it being used for the desired purpose of school project. This is not forthcoming.

3) The explanation that the status of the said plot of “green lung” had yet to be converted for use as school reserve is no more than a flimsy excuse. Jenice was successfully elected as the state assemblywoman in Teratai and has since been serving as a ruling party legislator in Selangor (presently under Pakatan Rakyat’s rule). Has she ever initiated any attempt to do the land conversion in her capacity of state assemblyperson in Teratai under the Pakatan held state of Selangor ever since she assumed office? Much to the chagrin of the complainants, the status of the said plot of land has hitherto remained unchanged. No applications for conversion had ever been made, making a mockery of the school fund raising project.

I am not interested in politicising the issue. However, as a responsible elected representative, I am under an obligation to get answers for the people who came to me for help. As bona fide donors and supporters, they had a legitimate expectation to know the truth. The way to resolve this is for my fellow elected state representative, Jenice Lee, to come forward by providing a clear and logical explanation about what happened to the monies raised and where they went. I am merely echoing what the people want and expect.

However, instead of providing valid and logical reasons, Jenice did exactly the opposite by further clouding the issue by resorting to name calling and smear tactics. She labelled me a “butcher” (when she called me to lay down the butcher’s chopper in Chinese) for no apparent reason. Furthermore, Cindy Leong’s good name was also dragged into the mud when she was accused of committing “political immorality” whereas she was merely facilitating the complainants’ legal and moral right to lodge a police report.

She also attempted to confuse and hoodwink the people by shifting the blame squarely on me and the federal government, knowing that powers of land conversion come under the jurisdiction of the State authorities of which she is now attached to. She can easily bring this issue up to the state government in her capacity as state assemblyperson but she has not done so in the past three years.

Jenice is free to say anything she wants but I am confident that the people are not as blind as her. I have always maintained the importance of walking the talk and have tried to fulfil what I’ve promised the people, especially on an important issue such as building of schools.

I am not part of her “buying a fan in support of a school” ploy and prefer to focus on my own initiative in securing the approval for relocating an under-enrolled Chinese primary school, SJKC Choon Hwa ( Batu 18, Hulu Langat) to Pandan. The initiative first began in 2006 and approval was granted in 2008.

In addition to this, a government allocation of RM3 million was successfully secured in 2009 for the School Building Committee and the Board of School Directors to build the school premises during my tenure as president of MCA. The committee comprising the community activists and educationists had in the past few years never burdened the public by calling for any form of fund raising. As an MP myself, I strongly maintained that government fund has to be solicited for the building of a government-run Chinese primary school.

As for Jenice, a former DAP supporter has candidly opined that she does not need to be fearful of any public scrutiny so long as she upholds the principle of transparency and accountability in dealing with public funds. Indeed this should be our common concern irrespective of party affiliation. Any ill-conceived contemplation to demonise the rightful complainants would render no service to protecting one’s credibility though it may help gloss over the issue for the time being. We’re still waiting for answers. — www.ongteekeat.net

Tee Keat: MCA should ‘ultimately’ be open to non-Chinese

By Yow Hong Chieh

August 02, 2010

Ong feels there needs to be buy-in when and if MCA opens its doors.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 — Former MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat believes that his party should eventually open its membership to all ethnic groups, saying that was the direction in which Malaysian politics was headed.

MCA, like its senior partners Umno and MIC, are the main race-based parties within the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.

“Ultimately, that should be the trend,” he told The Malaysian Insider, when asked if MCA should realign itself as a multi-racial party.

“Malaysian politics should herald into a new era where race-based politics or even religion-based politics will have no place in our political landscape.”

He said that even though MCA was a race-based party — “largely due to the historical background” — that did not mean the party was limited to practising race politics.

“Race-based party, no doubt. Structurally, yes. Membership-wise, yes. It is mono-ethnic. But it doesn’t mean that it is mandatory for us to practise race politics. That is two different things altogether.

“MCA, a race-based party, must always be inclusive,” he said in an interview recently.

The Pandan MP said that even MCA founder Tun Tan Cheng Lock frequently stated the need for the party to work for the benefit of all Malayans and seldom spoke of purely Chinese interests.

Similarly, he stressed that the MCA, both during his presidency and before, had always ensured that its initiatives were open to all communities.

He added that, while each Barisan Nasional (BN) component party had its own set of problems and priorities, there was no “fast and hard rule” as such issues varied from generation to generation.

“At different times, you might have different approaches or different initiatives altogether,” he said.

However, he lamented that people had yet to shed their “zero-sum mentality” when it came to communal interests, and said many still functioned with “compartmentalised” mindsets.

“People will always tend to look at it in very narrow perspective,” he said.

Razaleigh, who wants Umno to open up membership

Ong cautioned that, unless this prevailing mindset could first be changed, it would not make no difference even if MCA were to open its membership to the non-Chinese.

“You might open up your membership. But what if, end of the day, the people have yet to be mentally prepared, the people have yet to be convinced that you are going to practise... politics of inclusiveness?” he asked.

He said that unless the party first earned the respect of the people, there would be few takers for such a multi-racial MCA.

“You can’t just simply open up and say hey, we are here to accept you. What if the people are not convinced or less convinced? They won’t come to you.” he said.

He added that if MCA were to shed itself of its current race-based structure, it would neither forsake the interests of the Chinese nor those of the non-Chinese.

“For me, I don’t believe in such an argument that there are Chinese problems, Indian problems or Malay problems. To me, all these are the people’s problems,” he said.

Yesterday, Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah called for BN to be turned into a multi-racial party through direct membership in order to establish a two-party, non-race-based system.

Tengku Razaleigh, affectionately known as Ku Li, blamed Malaysia’s communitarian politics for making the country “sick” and warned of dire consequences if the trend towards racial disunity continued unabated.

“Our inability to grow up in our race relations is the chief reason why investors, and we ourselves, no longer have confidence in our economy. The reasons why we are behind Maldives in football, and behind the Philippines in FDI, are linked,” he said.

The Gua Musang MP called on both BN and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to ensure that the country moved away from communalism and race politics.

Ong Tee Keat ada jalan lain kalau disingkir PRU ke-13

Lim Hong Siang | Jul 19, 2010 04:53:34 pm

Bekas Presiden MCA Ong Tee Keat akan mengatur langkah baru, seandainya disingkirkan dari senarai calon MCA-Barisan Nasional dalam Pilihan Raya Umum yang akan datang. Malah, beliau tidak menolak untuk mengikut "rancangan baru" dirinya, jikalau gagal bertanding dalam PRU ke-13, katanya dalam wawancara bersama Oriental Daily.

Maksud tersirat yang cuba disampaikan oleh bekas Menteri Pengangkutan ini lebih jelas, seandainya dibaca dalam konteks wawancara tersebut. Ong Tee Keat mendakwa bahawa beberapa orang pelobi dari parti lain cuba mendampinginya selepas 8 Mac 2008, sehinggalah 16 September pada tahun yang sama, malah selepas 28 Mac 2010, iaitu selepas beliau kecundang dalam pemilihan MCA.

"Mereka yang datang mendampingi saya, bukan saya yang pergi mendampingi mereka. Kadang-kala, jangan bersahaja untuk makan dengan siapa-siapa," katanya sambil berseloroh dalam wawancara yang disiarkan pada 17 Julai 2010.

Meskipun digugurkan daripada kabinet berikutan kegagalannya mempertahankan jawatan Presiden dalam pemilihan semula MCA pada 28 Mac tahun ini, Ong Tee Keat, tetap enggan berundur dari gelanggang politik tempatan. Menurut laporan tersebut, Ong Tee Keat sedar bahawa ramai orang yang mengandaikan hayat politik seseorang politikus akan dibubuh noktah selepas berundur dari jawatan Presiden, tetapi beliau tidak akur kepada tanggapan sedemikian.

Beliau tidak menafikan desas-desus tersebar bahawa Naib Presiden MCA merangkap Pengerusi MCA Jawatankuasa Perhubungan Negeri Selangor, Donald Lim Siang Chai (gambar kiri) mungkin mengambil alih kawasan parlimennya (Pandan-Selangor) dalam PRU ke-13, tetapi khabar angin ini tidak mematahkan semangatnya untuk terus berkhidmat di kawasan itu.

Ketika ditanya wartawan Oriental Daily, bahawa seandainya benar beliau disingkirkan dari senarai calon BN pada PRU ke-13, apakah beliau tetap akan bertanding? Menurut pengamatan wartawan Oriental Daily, Ong Tee Keat berfikir sejenak sebelum berkata, "Seandainya apa yang anda katakan itu benar, dan berlaku pada hakikatnya, maka bukanlah saya yang terhutang kepada MCA atau BN."

"Seandai keadaannya bukanlah saya yang terhutang kepada BN, MCA, maka perlulah saya membuat pertimbangan dan pilihan yang lain...dan ia adalah sesuatu yang wajar," katanya.

Ong Tee Keat (gambar kanan) merupakan satu-satunya pemimpin MCA yang berjaya mempertahankan kerusi Dewan Rakyatnya di kawasan Lembah Klang (Kuala Lumpur-Selangor) dalam tsunami politik yang berlaku pada 8 Mac 2008. Beliau kemudiannya dilantik sebagai Menteri Pengangkutan, dan dipilih sebagai Presiden MCA dalam pemilihan partinya.

Beliau memulakan siasatan terhadap skandal Zon Bebas Pelabuhan Klang (PKFZ) setelah mengambil alih Kementerian Pengangkutan, pada masa yang sama terjerat ke dalam pergelutan kuasa partinya. Akhirnya beliau kecundang dalam pemilihan semula partinya, dan kehilangan jawatan Menterinya dalam kabinet selepas itu.

*Lim Hong Siang ialah Editor MerdekaReview, edisi bahasa Melayu.

Tee Keat: PKA must not pay PKFZ bondholders

KUALA LUMPUR (July 1, 2010): Former transport minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat (pix) today reiterated his stand that the Port Klang Authority (PKA) should not pay the Port Klang Free Zone(PKFZ) bondholders.

He said he was taken aback when the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) had asked PKA to pay the RM328.4 million in backdated taxes from Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB).

He said there was no reason why PKA should be directed to do so because IRB can directly deal with the "defaulter of the taxes".

"This is something unprecedented. It is entirely at the discretion of the IRB to take action against any defaulter. PKA only deals with the Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) set up by KDSB. They don’t have any direct dealing with the bondholders," Ong told reporters in Parliament.

Yesterday, Ong wrote in his blog (www.ongteekeat.net) that KDSB had issued the bonds in the form of four sets of private debt securities and not PKA or the government.

"These private bonds were secured against repayments from the various principal agreements between KDSB and PKA. The bondholders are not privy to these agreements," he wrote.

He said the responsibility of paying the bondholders was with KDSB.

"The responsibility to pay the bondholders lays with KDSB and if default on payment occurs, the proper remedy should be obtained against KDSB," said Ong.

Last Wednesday, the IRB directed PKA to stop payment to KDSB and insist that it pay the amount to IRB.

On Tuesday, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri gave an assurance that the government will pay what is due to the PKFZ bondholders, saying the government has a commitment to fulfil.

Ong also said the letters of support issued by the ministry in the early 2000s were not government guarantees.

"The four letters of support are not guarantees per se. We must bear in mind that the Hansard reported a deputy minister of finance stating in Parliament that they are not guarantees.

"Further, there is a question of whether Section 14 of the Financial Procedures Act 1957 has been complied with. The obligation under the said support letters are simply to ensure that PKA will have funds to meet its obligations but does not constitute an undertaking by the government to pay PKA’s debts to a third party," said Ong.

He also said payment should be withheld because PKA and KDSB are involved in several law suits and making payments could jeopardise PKA’s cases.

Ong, who is Pandan MP, said as an elected representative, it was vital to voice the matter and that decision-makers should exercise their obligations entrusted to them with great care. -- theSun

HOPE programme coordinates the placement of students who are unable to secure a place in local public universities into academic programmes offered by private universities and colleges, regardless of race or religion.

Official HOPE Website : http://www.hope.org.my/

I won't call it quits, says Ong

The word 'retire' doesn't figure in former MCA president Ong Tee Keat's extensive vocabulary that stretches to fluency in Mandarin, English and Bahasa Malaysia.

“(Retiring has) never crossed my mind... Removal (from public office) is not synonymous with retiring,” he said in a recent interview.

Ong, 54, who was unceremoniously defeated as MCA president in March and then replaced as transport minister, said there are many platforms via which he can still serve, with or without posts.

As the MP for Pandan in Kuala Lumpur, he does not intend to confine his role in Parliament to one of lengthy debate .

“As many would know, sometimes it can get sickening in Parliament. At times I call it a sheer waste of public funds,” he said.

“My focus remains on my commitment to human capital development, as well as social development. Under these two broad headings, there are many more sub-headings.”

Ong's biggest wish

Ong listed his Hope programme - which gives a second chance to those who do not qualify for admission into public universities - as among his many projects.

He is also working closely with NGOs to push for youth empowerment, and has plans to expand the operations of his mobile clinic beyond the borders of his constituency.

But Ong's biggest wish is to get back to his first passion - creative writing - as he recalled his first article written in Mandarin when he was a 16-year-old in 1972.

He wrote quite a bit, producing television and radio drama scripts to essays, political commentaries, and even translating his own work to English or Bahasa Malaysia.

“It is all a matter of time management, but if I could, I'd like to get back to writing. It's really one of my passions,” he said.

MCA must make a stand on PKFZ: Ong

EXCLUSIVE The MCA has everything to lose if it chooses to ignore the RM12 billion PKFZ controversy, said former president Ong Tee Keat.

Ong, whose crusade for the truth in the high-profile case cost him his positions as party president and transport minister, said this very issue was a strong contributor to MCA's whitewash by the opposition in the 12th general election two years ago.

“MCA as a party, more so as a partner in the ruling (BN) coalition, was greatly disadvantaged in the past GE such as in Selangor and the Federal Territory... we all know PKFZ is one of the root causes,” he told Malaysiakini.

“It is only appropriate for MCA to make a stand on the subject, if we really uphold the principles of integrity and transparency.”

MCA, the second-largest BN component party, has long had a close association with the Port Klang Authority - which owns PKFZ - by virtue of the party's monopoly of the transport ministership.

MCA's links to the PKA go as far back as 1989, with at least five successive party leaders sitting as chairperson of the government agency such as Michael Chen, Ting Chew Peh, Yap Pian Hon, Chor Chee Heung and current chair Lee Hwa Beng.

The Transport Ministry likewise has been under the party's stewardship, with the president traditionally taking the post including Dr Ling Liong Sik and Ong Tee Keat, though it has also been held by former deputy president Chan Kong Choy and currently by secretary-general Kong Cho Ha.

In an earlier interview, Ong had said he was playing on dangerous ground when he launched the probe into the PKFZ scandal, ultimately costing him his presidency and ministership.

New president backtracking

Moving forward, Ong pointed out that while he was president, MCA's presidential council had endorsed the view that the scandal is a party concern - insinuating that his rival and recently-elected president Dr Chua Soi Lek is taking a few steps back on the issue.

“The current president (Chua) held a different view. He once argued (when I was president) that the issue if investigated, would further jeopardise the party and the BN.

“He said PKFZ should not be a party matter, it is strictly under the Ministry of Finance (MoF). Likewise for sports betting, if the same argument were to hold water, people could argue it is a MoF matter and not a party concern.

“The fact is it (sports betting) was discussed at the presidential council and they made a stand to support it... whether it is a case of double standards or otherwise, let the fact speak for itself,” he said, referring to MCA's open support for issuance of the sports betting licence.

'Blame PKA board'

Ong however did not want the blame to be put on the shoulders of his predecessors in the Transport Ministry, especially Chan who has been a marked man since the issue went public.

He instead said the burden of responsibility should fall on the PKA's board of directors at the crucial time the PKFZ deal was inked.

“The board itself should be held responsible, irrespective of party affiliation... we should view the issue comprehensively; who has done what and the lines of responsibility,” he said.

Ong also declined to comment on Kong's recent statement that there is no need to re-visit the PKFZ issue, saying he does not know if it was his view as transport minister or MCA vice-president.

On his grand plan to reform the 61-year-old MCA, Ong was at a loss to pinpoint what exactly he did or did not do that led to his fall from the presidency.

“I think the results spoke loudly, on whether or not I made it. During the party election on March 28, I was defeated.

“I'm not sure if the delegates made their choice based on issues or principles of the three candidates, because I didn't do a survey.”

Chua performing well?

Ong however took a dig at Chua, brushing aside talk that his successor is doing a good job at patching the cracks that have fractured the party over the past year's protracted leadership crisis.

He said it is not enough to just run an extensive public relations exercise, as a situation could be more - or less - than what it seems.

“Maybe it would be useful for a more in-depth survey (into Chua's performance), rather than taking the word of a few individuals.

“Sometimes what we observe may not represent the real picture... let the facts speak for themselves."

PKFZ case far from over: Ong

EXCLUSIVE Ong Tee Keat, the man who exposed the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal, believes the case is far from over.

Despite the arrest and impending trial of former Port Klang Authority (PKA) general manager OC Phang and three others in relation to the scandal, the former transport minister remains convinced there is more left to be uncovered.

Ong (right), who was dropped from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's cabinet in a recent reshuffle, stressed that he has first hand information on those implicated in the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) audit report on the scandal, but declined to go into detail.

"Given the benefit of my position as a minister, certainly I know several more names mentioned in the report," he said in a Malaysiakini exclusive interview.

"It is not appropriate for me to announce these names because investigations may still be ongoing. I cannot be sure whether or not those implicated (in the report) are being investigated or not."

Ong, who was also ousted as MCA president at the party's March polls, said the investigating authorities are taking too long to update on their progress, and the public is getting tired of waiting.

Speaking in riddles

Predictably, the enigmatic speaker in his usual fashion stayed on the safe route, without committing himself to either side of the PKFZ debacle which is estimated ton have cost RM12 billion in public funds.

Ong did question whether or not the government-appointed 11-member special task force to investigate the scandal, has come up with a report.

"I'm not sure if there is such a report by now... it has now gone way beyond six months (since investigations started). But it is at their discretion (to release the report).

"What the people want to see is what's next. Other than to see justice, they also want to know what happens to the public funds, what action would be taken if there actually are fraudulent claims... these are all frequently asked questions," he said.

Fighting cynicism and intimidation

Ong said his decision to expose the PKFZ scandal was riddled with "insurmountable stumbling blocks", having to have to wade through a quagmire of bureaucracy and dead ends.

And eventually mountains of documents that he had to go through before he could make sense of it all.

Throughout his active pursuit of the truth, he said he faced endless opposition and cynicism from everyone around him. The opposition called his actions a charade, while he also jeopardised his MCA presidency.

"I know I was risking my party position.

"I don't deny (in my exposure of the scandal) I could have hurt the feelings and interests of certain individuals within the party, but I had to make a hard decision... true enough I have been ousted from the presidency."

Ong admitted he faced intimidation while digging up information on the scandal, but declined to elaborate.

"It is not my practice to cry foul openly... since my younger days, I have never been a crybaby," he said.

Ong also said he knew that "certain quarters" celebrated each time he hit a brick wall in his pursuit on PKFZ. The first was when MCA's Oct 10, 2009 extraordinary general meeting passed a motion of no confidence on him, followed by his loss of party presidency and his removal as transport minister.

"When I was defeated, I was told there were celebrations by certain quarters. I could understand the three episodes gave them reason to celebrate, but I view it with a smile. To me, whether or not they celebrate, that is their choice," he said.

Family matters

For Ong, the biggest loss was that of quality time with friends and family.

"I really had to forgo many things, including my family time. It (the scandal) impacted on my public appearances. I had to cut down my socialising with friends without telling them the real reasons that I could not join them.

"I spent a good six months, right up to after Chinese New Year (in 2009) doing this every day (sifting through the PKFZ documents), rain or shine, from 11pm to 3am," he said.

When asked if it was all worth the effort, considering the lack of progress in the protracted issue, the usually stoic Ong was clearly pained.

"I can't say I have lost confidence in the system, because I soldiered on irrespective of whether or not I would lose everything.

"But I am deeply saddened, not by my personal loss especially on the RM10 million allegations, but by the current state of affairs, because I really have high hopes on politics of integrity and transparency in our system.

"Even if we have yet to achieve that, there must be a serious commitment to it," he said.

Tomorrow: MCA must make a clear stand

Najib reshuffles pack, Tee Keat dropped

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:10

UPDATED PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak today announced a cabinet reshuffle which saw former MCA president Ong Tee Keat being dropped and Deputy Finance Minister Chor Chee Heung being made a full minister.

The reshuffle also saw the appointment of two members of Parliament and four senators as deputy ministers.

The prime minister, in a statement, announced the appointment of Chor as Housing and Local Government Minister, replacing Kong Cho Ha who switched portfolio to the Transport Ministry.

Kong, who is also MCA secretary-general, takes over from Ong who lost to Dr Chua Soi Lek in the MCA elections in March. Also dropped was Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Wee Jeck Seng.

Ong and Wee were the only two dropped from the new "expanded" cabinet.

There were also two vacancies available from the resignation of Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister and former Wanita MCA chief Chew Mei Fun and the death of Deputy Transport Minister Robert Lau last month.

Three from MCA, additional post for MIC

Today's reshuffle sees the appoinment of six new faces, four of whom are senators. The cabinet changes will be effective from June 4.

Of the six new faces, three are from MCA – party president Chua's son and Labis MP Chua Tee Yong, and party vice-presidents Senator Donald Lim and Gan Ping Sieu, to reflect the changes in the party leadership following its polls in March.

MIC also has an additional face in the government, on top of a minister and two deputy ministers, with the appointment of party deputy president G Palanivel as a deputy minister.

PPP vice-president Senator Maglin Dennis D’Cruz has also been roped into the cabinet as a deputy minister, along with Serian MP Richard Riot Jaem.

The reshuffle also saw four deputy ministers switching portfolios.

They are Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Minister Rohani Abdul Karim who takes over as Deputy Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister; Deputy Home Minister Jelaing Mersat (Deputy Transport Minister); Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Chee Leong (Deputy Home Minister) and Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister Senator Heng Seai Kie (Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister).

Najib said Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Zainal Abidin had given his consent to the appointments and the swearing-in would be held at Istana negara at 3.30pm on Friday.

Tuanku Mizan had also consented to the appointment of Lim, D'Cruz and Gan as senators effective today. They will be sworn in as soon as possible.

List of new ministers and deputies

Kong Cho Ha: Transport Minister (previous post: Housing and Local Government Minister)

Chor Chee Heung: Housing and Local Government Minister (previous post: Deputy Finance Minister)

Rohani Abdul Karim: Deputy Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister (previous post: Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister)

Jelaing Mersat: Deputy Transport Minister (previous post: Deputy Home Minister)

Lee Chee Leong: Deputy Home Minister (previous post: Deputy Foreign Minister)

Senator Heng Seai Kie: Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister (previous post: Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister)

Senator G Palanivel: Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister

Richard Riot Jaem (Serian MP): Deputy Foreign Minister

Chua Tee Yong (Labis MP): Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister

Senator Donald Lim Siang Chai: Deputy Finance Minister

Senator Maglin Dennis D'Cruz: Deputy Information Communication and Culture Minister

Senator Gan Ping Sieu: Deputy Youth and Sports Minister.

The door is now open and it is now very clear what needs to be done . As for me , I will advise all Tee Keat's supporters to lie low and get all our supporters to be ready to jump ship . MCA as it is a rotten and sinking ship with a tainted president hell bent on parachuting his son into the MCA top heirachy and perhaps grooming his son to be the next President . It is now not Ong Sdn Bhd but rather Monkey Chua Associates .

Be ready to move when the time comes . It will be the same story as OKT , we will vote out all MCA candidates come GE13 and send them to Timbaktu . Perhaps we should stand as Independent or form a New Party as one of the options .

Ong: Tourism as key industry boosts air services

Thursday, 06 May 2010 08:52

KUALA LUMPUR – The step taken by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to make tourism a national key economic activity (NKEA) will indirectly stimulate the air services industry, said Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat. Pursuant to this, he said his ministry was given the mandate by the government to sign the Asean Multilateral Agreement on Full Liberalisation of Passenger Air Services to enable full liberalisation of civil aviation in terms of flights from capital cities of Asean to Malaysia. "The Cabinet at its meeting today to gave the green light to sign the agreement, which does not impose limits on flight frequencies, aircraft type or passenger load, beginning June 30. Expands network "This is to expand our air network besides acting as the main contributor towards the growth of the tourism industry because any tourism promotion will not get anywhere without effective air sevices," he told Bernama before appearing as a guest on Bernama TV's Hello Malaysia programme here tonight. Prior to this development, he said the ministry had liberalised air services between Kuala Lumpur and other key Asean cities. "We have moved forward and at the same time expanded air links whereby 18 airports were linked directly to Singapore, meaning to say KLIA is not the only link to the city-state," he said. Penang draws flak over tourism pamphlet Wednesday, 05 May 2010 12:46 PENANG – Mistakes in the state tourism pamphlet shows up Penang's insensitivity and lack of understanding on the state's culture, says an assemblyman. Muhammad Farid Saad (BN-Pulau Betong) said some icons contained in the pamphlet did not reflect the culture of the Penang people. "The wau bulan (kite) and wayang kulit (shadow play) are not part pf people's culture in Penang. Doesn't the state executive councillor (exco) know that or doesn't he care?" he said when debating the motion of thanks on the Yang Dipertua Negeri Abdul Rahman Abbas's opening speech at the state assembly sitting here today. Muhammad Farid said in a Bernama report that the pamphlet information was also skimpy as it only showed locations on the island. Penang more than the island "It is as if Penang is made up of just the island. This is pathetic." He said he hoped the state would revise the pamphlet and make it more useful. "It is hoped that Deputy Chief Minister 1 Mansor Othman (PKR- Penanti) will assist state tourism exco, Law Heng Kiang (DAP-Batu Lanchang), to look into the matter so that it will not happen again," he added. Muhammad Farid, who is chairman of the homestay programme in Penang, also chided the state for not providing any aid to develop the programme, despite its potential to attract more tourists to the state.

Ong Tee Keat cleared of RM10mil allegation, says MACC

KUALA LUMPUR: Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has been cleared of the allegation that he received RM10mil for MCA activities from Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Deputy Chief Commissioner Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull said investigation papers forwarded to the Deputy Public Prosecutor were returned to the commission with instructions to close the case.

“They (DPP) said there was no case against him (Ong),’’ Mohd Shukri said declining to elaborate.

Ong meanwhile, said he received a letter from MACC on Apr 22 clearing him of the allegation.

“In the letter, the MACC informed me that they had concluded investigations and found no evidence to confirm the allegations.

“I was also told that no further investigation would be made into the matter.

“I am thankful this has been cleared. The allegations hurled against me, especially during the party elections has now subsided and the real scenario is now out in the open and is clear, eventhough I received the letter a tad too late,” he told a press conference.

Ong said that eventhough he had received the letter earlier, he did not use the “good news as a political capital” during the Hulu Selangor by-election.

“In fact, I had forgotten about the letter until I was asked about the court case,” he said, referring to his application to stop Tiong, who is also Bintulu MP, from publishing malicious comments.

Ong claimed he was informed that MACC had concluded investigation into the case earlier but for “some unknown reasons” he was only told about it a few days ago.

Related Stories:
Ong's injunction bid hearing against Kuala Dimensi's Tiong on May 17

Ong files police report against Tiong

Ong: RM10mil loan claim is one of the threats over PKFZ issue

Ong asks Tiong to apologise for RM10m loan statement