Grassroots swings for Soi Lek, Tee Keat taps business clout

ARCHIVES 2009

By admin-s On Sep 4, 2009

(The Malaysian Insider) KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — In the battle for support from party delegates, MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has the support of national leaders, but he may still end up losing the votes to his bitter rival Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

In just under a week, supporters of Chua have already surpassed the threshold of signatures — 800 or more than a third of national delegates — needed to requisitioned an EGM to topple Ong as MCA presidency.

And many of the delegates supporting the pro-Chua EGM are from divisions aligned to national leaders who have promised votes for Ong.

The Malaysian Insider understands that among the divisions Ong is depending on include those under the control of Youth chief Datuk Wee Ka Siong, central committee member Wee Jeck Seng and vice president Tan Kok Hong.

While party presidents usually have the advantage of incumbency, Ong has only been on the job since last year and does not appear to be entrenched enough yet.

His brash and somewhat aloof manner has also not gained him much grassroots support.

Ong is heavily dependent on national leaders aligned to him right now, along with a close circle of advisers.

A number of businessmen friends Ong has gained since he began his meteoric political rise last year, following the decision of Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting and Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy to retire, are also turning against him.

The most prominent has been Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, the Barisan Nasional backbenchers chief who controls Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB).

KDSB is the turnkey contractor for the scandal-plagued Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) and has been blamed by Ong’s Transport Ministry for the project’s massive cost overruns.

In retaliation, Tiong has made a number of startling disclosures which have badly damaged Ong’s reputation.

Tiong accused Ong of taking a RM10 million cash donation for MCA, which party records show it did not receive. Ong was also forced to admit he took free rides on KDSB’s luxury jets while the company was being probed.

The Malaysian Insider understands that aides to vice president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai — who supports Ong — recently reached out to a prominent Chinese businessman for help.