You’re a liar, Tee Keat tells Soi Lek

Patrick Lee April 20, 2011

Free Malaysia Today

The former MCA boss launches a broadside against his successor for blaming him for the party's continued presence in the federal and state governments after the 2008 polls.

PETALING JAYA: Former MCA president Ong Tee Keat has described his sucessor Dr Chua Soi Lek as a “despicable liar”.

He was responding to Chua’s remark that it was Ong’s decision to allow MCA leaders to assume government posts despite the party’s dismal performance in the 2008 general election.

“Chua’s statement on my alleged insistence of staying in the federal Cabinet after 2008 should be disdained in view of its factual flaws,” said Ong.

He said that it was not possible for him to have made such a decision when he was not even MCA’s president in March 2008.

(The party president at the time was Ong Ka Ting. Tee Keat assumed the presidency on Oct 18, 2010)

Ong also added that Chua never mentioned anything about staying out of the federal government during the former’s tenure as president.

“The presidential council, which Chua was in (as deputy president), unanimously mandated me to handle the matter with the new prime minister,” he said.

‘Ongoing prejudice’

Chua’s statement, Ong claimed, was indicative of an ongoing prejudice against him.

“Perhaps Chua has been overly obsessed with his prejudice against my political presence until today,” he said.

The former president also criticized his successor for being hypocritical, as the latter had assumed various official positions after Najib Tun Razak took over as prime minister.

These included the MCA presidency on March 28 last year, the Penang Port Commission Chairman and becoming a member of the PM-run Economic Council.

Ong also took a swipe at Chua for pushing his son up the political ladder to become Labis MP and eventually a deputy minister in Najib’s Cabinet.

Following the Sarawak state election on Sunday, Chua had urged Sarawak-based Chinese party SUPP to reject positions in the state government in view of the party’s heavy defeat.

His call was met by criticism from DAP, who asked why MCA did not do the same after the 2008 general election.

Meanwhile, Ong said Chua should have walked his talk by pulling out Perak MCA from the state government as well since the party’s candidates were wiped out in the 2008 polls.

“He has no excuse to be evasive as he has been helming Perak MCA for the past one year,” he added.