Think , MCA !

Group to oust Ong in tit-for-tat move
Led by maverick party member Theng Bok (left), the ad-hoc group's main agenda for the EGM is the reinstatement of sacked party deputy chief Dr Chua Soi Lek into the party and call for a vote of no-confidence against Ong.

Ampang MCA division deputy chairperson Loo Tak Ming (left) said it was a "very wrong move" for the presidential council to sack Chua. "Whatever (Chua) did in the past has already been forgiven by party delegates in the party elections (last October). The decision is very unfair to Chua and party members."

"The past is the past. Why are they still persecuting him? I hope the party delegates will now send a strong message to the party president," said Loo.


Fong: Reconsider sacking
"He has apologised for the scandal and resigned as a minister and parliamentarian to take moral responsibility," Fong told reporters at a press conference today.



A PIECE OF MY MIND

By now, the MCA grassroots should be hearing the tune "the past is the past" and certain quarters are out with a mission to oust the President of MCA.

This particular tune which is currently played repeatedly also carry the embedded message that MCA members have forgiven Dr Chua for his moral misconduct last year when MCA delegates voted him in as the Deputy President.

Is that true ?

Of course we do not deny that Dr Chua has been an excellent Minister of Health. His tenure as a Cabinet Minister reaped in large number of support not only from within MCA but also commanded respect from the Opposition and the people.

Nevertheless, leaders lead by example. After the moral misconduct, Dr Chua acted professionally and resigned.

However, his return to party politics in late 2008 came riding on hints of conspiracy that he was set up and a victim.

Two questions then come to our minds.

1. Why bother to claim that it is a set up when in fact the act was voluntary ?
   
2. What are the true intentions of the return - love for the party or vengeance ?

MCA members are quick to forgive and forget (maybe). Will the people be quick to forgive and forget Dr Chua ? People say the essence of a good politician is a good husband and able to upkeep the family household.

Imagine if Dr Chua Soi Lek is the President of MCA. Will UMNO, MIC, Gerakan and the rest of the component parties be comfortable with a man once involved with the scandal ?

Dr Fong Chan Onn, Theng Bok and Loo Tak Ming must not forget that together with the position as President of MCA, there is also the appointment to a Cabinet Ministerial post in one of the few core Ministries.

Who will then bear the responsibility of being humiliated, teased and hounded daily by the wolves of the Opposition in blogs, the Press, and the Parliament ?

Bear in mind that the Opposition under Anwar Ibrahim now has the machinery, internet and "friends in the media" that can turn MCA into nothing but dust if they flex their muscles on a Dr Chua-led MCA.

As for this, anyone ever stop to think why no one from the Opposition invested any effort to tear apart the political career of MCA's Deputy President since March 2008 ?

Note that Dr Chua is also the BN Chief Coordinator for the 5 Opposition led States. I leave that "mystery" for you.

The instability and frictions in MCA over the year surely contradicts with his initial actions of love for the party when he quit as a Minister of Health and MP.


Since being elected as MCA President, it is an open secret that Dr Chua and his supporters are always clashing with Ong Tee Keat's camp.

God knows why Najib - Muhyiddin can work together but not a democratically elected pair of Ong - Chua.

Words of campaigning to oust Ong as President of MCA has been going on for a long time while Ong is kept busy with his Ministerial duties, Presidential duties and obligation to the people to report on the latest of PKFZ.

I strongly believe MCA's Presidential Council and Ong would not have "disciplined" Dr Chua if not for the year long instability caused by him and his supporters, though the sacking shocked me.

This should have been said in late 2008 after the Party elections. Give Ong Tee Keat a chance to run and reform MCA.

Having said all these, allow me to commend Dr Chua for his excellent track record as Minister of Health. I was and still is one of the many who envied Dr Chua's dedication.

Today, Barisan Nasional come as a priority at A PIECE OF MY MIND.


MORE TO COME


(Credits to Malaysiakini and The Star for the photos)

OTK's Fight Till The End

It has always been a tradition that each component party does not interfere with the leadership choice or preference of other parties.

Intervention inter parties in Barisan Nasional are the prerogatives of the President and Deputy President of Barisan Nasional only and solely theirs.

Whispers have long been going on that UMNO leaders do not favour Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat but have a softer spot and preference for Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek to helm the leadership of MCA.


The news article today written in The Malaysian Insider, Sin Chew Jit Poh and several other news giants will surely put a dent in the relationship of MCA-UMNO, the two largest component parties in the alliance.

I sure hope that this is not true. Again, the tradition of non interference with leadership choice among component parties must be upheld and continued.

The leadership of the largest Chinese based party can and should only be decided by the members and to a larger extent, the relevant Chambers of Commerce, associations and the community.



Nevertheless, an intervention in the triangle public spat between Dr Chua, Ong and Tiong is highly welcomed as this will do good for all parties in Barisan Nasional.

Now, will it be a fight till the end as reported in Malaysiakini ?

I wonder why no Barisan Nasional leader including Cabinet members or senior Government officials gave full support and backing to Ong when he declassified and announced the

• PwC report on PKA and PKFZ


• Efforts to improve the governance and ensure success of the PKFZ project


• the special taskforce set up which include Skrine & Co’s senior lawyer Vinayak Pradhan, lawyers, accountants, quantity surveyors and building cost consultants


• support letters made to interest groups of PKFZ by former Cabinet member(s)


• promises and walks the talk of integrity, transparency and accountability

No one stood up and say "I'm with you".

If no one stands up for the man who walks the talk, then we can really forget about reforms in MCA and Barisan Nasional altogether.

MCA must "Berani Berubah" also !

Anyway, I received news that there is a new blog created last week - http://justice4otk.blogspot.com and this "anonymous" blogger is out to defend and fight for DS Ong Tee Keat in MCA.

Go there for more news on OTK's political battle.

Najib & Muhyiddin must intervene

If we compare the leadership of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat, each time a quarrel happens

• between leaders in a component party or
  
• between leaders of respective parties,

usually it won't end and the matter will not be contained until it gets almost out of control.

In Pakatan Rakyat, each time leaders point fingers at each other (evidently Wee Choo Keong & Azmin Ali versus Teresa Kok & Ronnie Liu), the Pakatan Rakyat Presidential Council intervenes and cuts of all public spat from thereforth.

More like sweeping everything (dirty stuff) under the carpet which will one day be the "skeletons in the closet" (quote from Tun Dr Mahathir) and will haunt Pakatan Rakyat.

When it comes to the ongoing quarrel between the President of Barisan Nasional's second largest component party with a very wealthy man who happens to be a BN leader from Sarawak also, I question the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council for the lack of involvement.

It has been a tradition that no BN leaders or component party can interfere with the politics of another party unless called upon by the top two leaders of the coalition.

In this case, the Supreme Council should intervene as this is not an internal component party problem but rather inter party.

MCA and the people must rally behind the President for all he had done and will still do in his career as a politician and Cabinet Minister.

Never once was anything hidden or shrouded in secrecy. Never once was there any attempts to sweep the case under the carpet. Never once was there any procedures to seal and close the case under the Official Secrets Act.

I hope to see DS Najib and TS Muhyiddin intervene in this matter.

The Malaysian Chinese Association members and Central Committee surely will not take matters lightly or watch at the sidelines of this well planned political moves from within and outside the party to "strangle and choke" the President of MCA who walked the talk in integrity and transparency.

MCA vs Tiong King Sing

Blood will shed and we now have MCA vs Tiong King Sing after an emergency meeting on Sunday.

Approximately 1000 delegates of MCA from across the country gathered at Wisma MCA to hear it out from the man himself, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

Interesting reviews and news all around the blogosphere and the media. One interesting Press Statement by Simon Lim caught my attention.

“On Aug 12, Faisal claimed that Ong owed US$40,000 for chartered flights. Then, he changed his tune when he found out that those jets cannot be hired since the company does not have the license (Air Operators’ Certificate) to do so. He then came up with the US$10,000 figure being for fuel and airport charges on Aug 13. At a press conference the same day, Faisal changed his position again saying that it was just based on an ‘understanding’ which has yet to be substantiated."

Other than this, MCA's Treasury General said the party had not received any donations from Tiong since he became treasurer last year.

MCA now gives full backing for DS Ong Tee Keat to overcome the challenges and political defamation.

Blood will shed. Your guess. Will it be MCA's or KDSB Boss Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing ?

The Political Cost of PKFZ Transparency

A man who is at the peak of his career as Minister and President of the largest Chinese based organization in Malaysia, will he stir the hornet's nest by going transparent and open if he knows that the bees will sting him in the end which might spell the end of his career ?

Only a senile man will do so and definitely not the President of MCA. Read this good article : Tough times call for tough measures

Since the very beginning, the Malaysian Chinese Association President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat held on firmly to his pledge that the Ministry of Transport will come clean, open and transparent in the case of PKA - PKFZ project.

Never once was anything hidden or shrouded in secrecy. Never once was there any attempts to sweep the case under the carpet. Never once was there any procedures to seal and close the case under the Official Secrets Act.

In fact, some of the following chronological news headlines which carry the efforts of MCA President and his Ministry officials will show to the public who is walking the talk.

It is indeed a big political cost. But MCA shall persevere and march ahead with Barisan Nasional.



April 29, 2009
Tee Keat: PKFZ report out in a week
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said today he has ordered the Port Klang Authority (PKA) to release the Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) report which was commissioned last May after explanations by former Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy failed to satisfy the public.


May 28, 2009
PKFZ audit report now online; 20 key issues
The release of the report was a clear instruction from Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, said PKA chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng at a press conference in the PKA office here Thursday. “I was also instructed to hand the report over to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. I’ll be there tomorrow at 8am,” he said, adding that this was because PKA does not have any investigative authority.


July 1, 2009
Tee Keat will comply with PAC summons over PKFZ
Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said today that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has the power and right to call anyone to give an explanation regarding the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) RM12.5 billion scandal. “If I am called then of course I will comply. That was my promise and the promise will be fulfilled,” he said.

July 08, 2009
No Proof Yet Of Irregularities In PKFZ Issue : MB
Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim Wednesday said there had not been any proof that showed there had been any irregularities in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project. He said it was his opinion that what happened was that the Port Klang Authority (PKA) was not experienced in managing the free zone and needed to be responsible for the investments made.


July 17, 2009
Ong reveals big hurdle in revealing report
POWERFUL forces are trying to stop Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat from revealing the Pricewaterhouse-Coopers (PwC) report on Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ). Ong said some in the Government also opposed the report being made public. He said there was even a message from an underground figure saying that if he suddenly “disappeared from this world one day”, he should know what brought it about.


July 22, 2009
PKFZ: Letters of support made public
According to PKA chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng, the decision to post the appendices on the website is in line with Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat’s stance on transparency and accountability. "Under the minister's instruction, the PKA has put the report online and allowed the public to view the appendices," he said, adding that he hoped the issue of MPs not receiving the full report would to an end.


July 26, 2009
Ong: MCA has never been involved in PKFZ
“If any individual from MCA, irrespective of his position, was involved in his individual or personal capacity in such a debacle, he should subject himself to public scrutiny and investigations conducted by the authorities concerned. I did it in the interest of the people and I believe the truth must prevail."


July 26, 2009
PKFZ – only the truth matters
MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has made two startling statements over the past few weeks. First, he revealed that companies and individuals had collaborated to stop him from disclosing the audit report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) issue.

August 12th, 2009
Tiong claims RM10 million donation paid in cash to Tee Keat
Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing claims the RM10 million donation he made last year to MCA via Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat was paid in three separate cash installments. According to a report in this evening’s China Press, Tiong claimed he could also summon a witness to prove that Ong had asked him for the donation.


August 13, 2009
MCA president: Duo trying to divert people’s attention from issue
“If indeed I have received pecuniary and financial benefits for myself or the party, there will be more reasons for me to protect the interests of the givers, as opposed to proceeding to expose their misdeeds.

“By doing so, I am risking my personal and family safety as well as my own credibility,” Ong, who is MCA president, wrote in his blog www.ongteekeat.net.



(Credits to Malaysiakini & The Star for the photos)

sjsandteam SHUT DOWN

Recently, a prominent blog - SJSANDTEAM - was shut down by the owners. I tried searching for the reason given and found that Zorro Unmasked had a take on this.

From Zorro Unmasked

SjsAndTeam.wordpress.com was recently shut down by the blog owners after fears for the safety of the team & the readers. Apparently SjsAndTeam were taking care of Raja Petra in United States. SJSAndTeam did the right thing by stopping the tracks & giving the police a hard time to catch Raja Petra.

Is that true ? I don't think so. Several bloggers who surf the web round the clock managed to capture the very last entry of the blog before the owners pulled the plug and deleted it.

Clearly, the article was outright SEDITIOUS. Read the article here.

With top leaders saying things like this,



and contradicting with another chameleon here,



it will not be shocking at all if people tell me this man (Loke Siew Fook - MP of Rasah) wrote such things (as claimed by many people). [UPDATE : YB Loke posted a denial at Rockybru that he wrote such articles.]


Time after time, DAP had many clashes with the Royal Households and protocols in several States - Perak & Johor for example.

When the judiciary sided Pakatan Rakyat in the case of RPK (freed from ISA), Anwar Ibrahim (sodomy sentence quashed, compensation and public apology from various parties to Anwar Ibrahim), and many other events,

• the judiciary was hailed and praised
• the judiciary was said to be fair, just and independent

But when things go the other way, against them, another side of the story is told and the leaders and supporters rise like mobsters to undermine our enforcement and judiciary.

The same applies for the case where certain quarters are defaming the Perak Royal Household.

In reality, Raja Nazrin Shah is a noble and highly respectable figure in Perak. Thanks to the machinery of Pakatan Rakyat, they smeared the royal household's image.

They clearly know that the Royal Household will not issue statements to defend accusations from political parties since doing so will extinguish the Royalty stature and blur the lines between the Malay Rulers and politics.

Thus, they act like hooligans and say all sorts of things against my Sultan and Raja Muda.

Raja Muda and his consort are two wonderful, friendly and intelligent royalty.

I hope Perakians come to their senses and defend their royal household because Sultan Azlan Shah and Raja Nazrin are not what some politicians have been accusing them of.

Daulat Tuanku !


(Credits to Rockybru, The Malaysian Insider and The Star for the photos)

Printing Presses and Publications Act

From the Internal Security Act review promised by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, we now move on to the Printing Presses and Publications Act.

For those who are not familiar with the PPPA, you can read the official full Act here. Two days ago, the Malaysian Mirror carried the headlines - Printing Presses Act to be reviewed.

The first thing that crossed my mind at that time was "This is indeed a bold move".

I miss the good old days during Dr M's era where Barisan Nasional leaders were very intelligent in making first moves.

We used to implement policies or amend policies way before the Opposition can exploit the case, thus making the Govt backed by the people with 2/3 majority all the time.

Now, we are merely seen as puppets because we seem to act only after the Opposition planned rallies or demonstrations - at least that is what appears in the mind of many.

Although we understand that the Govt is working to review certain laws (such as the ISA way before the 1 Aug demonstration), the Opposition managed to hijack it earlier and make it look like their efforts from thereforth.

Any Govt implementations will only be seen as "puppeted" by the Opposition. First movers strategy is very important in politics and this is one thing that Barisan Nasional must keep in mind.

Initially I thought that after the 1 August rally on ISA, a demonstration against PPPA might be next on the cards.

Now, with Deputy Home Minister Abu Seman Yusop's words that the Government will review the PPPA to to keep in steps with the times and promote the growth of the industry, I believe the "first mover strategy" is back on the table of Barisan Nasional.

Read THIS also - a collection of Editors' take on PPPA where Datuk Wong Chun Wai (The Star) urging the PPPA review and Datuk Azman Ujang (Bernama) and Steven Gan (Malaysiakini) don't seem confident that anything will be done.

Datuk Wong said "I feel the PPPA is already obsolete. It is not relevant anymore! More people are going online for news now. The web portals do not require a licence to publish news, so why not abolish the Act ?".

Again, as I said before, be patient and let Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak do his job. The message is clear.

If one thinks he is not performing, every citizen in Malaysia has his or her democratic rights and fundamental liberties to vote for a candidate and party whom he or she thinks will deliver what is best to the people.

And let us exercise our democratic rights through the ballot boxes, not the streets. (by the way, Dr M wrote a good piece about the Anwar's Culture.)

Anwar Ibrahim in UMNO

Sorry for the lack of blog posts these days. I have been busy with a family trip recently and now my desk has a pile of assignments to complete.

Anyway, enjoy the above video. I first saw it in a Facebook Group.

By now, many would have received news about an article of Anwar Ibrahim published in The Economist.

I am quite sure Barisan Nasional leaders or component parties do not own The Economist.

So Pakatan Rakyat "yes-men" can be assured that this is not another "conspiracy" which you have been programmed to use as an excuse whenever such articles or accusations arise.

Read the article here - Malaysia's chameleon dated Jul 30th 2009. Some excerpts of the article :

• That morning, Mr Anwar had been in Perth where he had met Australia’s foreign minister. What had he been doing with Stephen Smith? “Plotting,” replies Mr Anwar, with a conspiratorial wink. Mr Anwar spends a lot of time abroad with national and religious leaders whose names he drops slightly too easily into an engaging conversational style. He moves like quicksilver from one intriguing subject to the next, but you get the uncanny sense that he is speaking to what interests you.
  
  
• Then there is the time-consuming trial. Mr Anwar says he will win whatever the verdict. If he is acquitted, the government which brought the case will be discredited. If found guilty, tens of thousands of supporters will take to the streets. Mr Anwar hints tantalisingly at new information in a murder case that has gripped the country partly because of its links to Mr Najib. This, he suggests, gives him ammunition to fight back.
  
  
• Intriguing, but it is unlikely to be enough. If Mr Anwar does go to jail, the alliance may not survive the loss of its leader. If he calls out his supporters—for something of the martyr lurks in him—he may be blamed for the ensuing chaos. And if he appeals to international opinion, his local supporters may question that.
  
  
• This points to a trap waiting to catch the silver-tongued Mr Anwar, who deftly tells different audiences—religious or secular—what they like to hear. The same blogosphere that helped his meteoric rise may one day pay more attention to his chameleon qualities. Malaysians would then come to ask more closely: who and what exactly does Anwar stand for?

Politically Motivated ISA Gathering

Do read my take here - 1 August : ISA Gathering Gimmick?

First, allow me to present to you the numbers at the gathering reported by mainstream media as well as online news portals.

• Utusan - 5000+ (lowest estimate, unlikely to be this)
  
• NST - 35,000
• Malaysiakini - 20,000
• The Malaysian Insider - 20,000
• Harakah Daily - 100,000 (largest estimate)

And folks, the following is a list of news which appeared in The Star today.

1. Time to repeal the ISA
2. Sticking to his pins and principles
3. 'Power should not be in hands of one person'


I have no idea how the "controlled media" can publish such news.

Or is it a propaganda of the Opposition and their cybertroopers that we should not read the papers but only read news portals and blogs that sided them ?

1 August gathering was only meant to be there for another go at spinning stories. The Opposition's agenda and message must be sent out clear cut that

• UMNO and Barisan Nasional are evil and draconians
  
• Police and MACC are murderers and bullies
• Politicians, youths, students and people are manhandled

Yes, by now we can see that this is the message that has to be repeated by the Opposition quarterly as the Opposition await the 13th General Election - their closest chance to power now.

Again, we should send the Opposition and GMI back to the basics to ask why the need for 1 August gathering, just like how Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak ensured that we went back to the foundations of ISA with efforts on review ongoing.


News on the ISA Comprehensive Review :

• ISA will not be used arbitrarily - Najib
• Law Reform Committee formed to review ISA
• MCA lauds Najib's proposal to comprehensively review ISA
• Replace ISA with new law
• Govt reviewing ISA, no need for demos, reiterates Najib

To comprehensively review and amend the ISA, it does not happen overnight. There are many in certain ISA Detention Camps that pose security threats in terms of terrorism and hardcore crime to our country and our region.

If we abolish ISA right away, we leave a crater like legal loophole for many to escape the arms of our our law enforcement and regulatons.

Will Pakatan Rakyat be willing to bear the risks of any threats to the people's security and well being if ISA is abolished at this instance ?

Be patient and let Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak do his job. The message is clear.

If one thinks he is not performing, every citizen in Malaysia has his or her democratic rights and fundamental liberties to vote for a candidate and party whom he or she thinks will deliver what is best to the people.

And let us exercise our democratic rights through the ballot boxes, not the streets.


(Credits to Malaysiakini and TheStar for the photos)