Tee Keat reveals plot to oust him as MCA chief

MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat today claimed that an internal conspiracy was hatched to oust him as party president following MCA’s extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on Oct 10 last year.

“Suffice for me to say that although I had been very inclusive since elected as MCA president, a well-planned conspiracy was hatched to get rid of me after MCA’s EGM on Oct 10 last year,” he told reporters after meeting up with Penang MCA delegates here.

He said most of the central committee (CC) posts (in MCA’s elections in 2008) were won by followers of his predecessor (Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting) and that he adapted to the situation by working together with all quarters.

“I kept my election promises...but I never expected to be stabbed in the back,” he said. He also said the party’s decision to sack Dr Chua Soi Lek over the latter’s sex DVD scandal was a collective one but it had been twisted by certain quarters to make it appear as though it was his sole decision.

Tee Keat said he was also deeply saddened by claims made by Ka Ting that the latter was making a comeback to save and reunite the party.

He said he had taken this into consideration when going for the number one post after Ka Ting retired and that was why his supporters chose not to contest all of the other top posts in the party then.

This was to give room to all quarters to be part of the leadership line up, he said, adding that despite Ka Ting giving the excuse that he was contesting the presidency again to unite MCA, Ka Ting’s backers were sidelining his own supporters.

He said this was tantamount to political hypocrisy and also voiced his concern about the surfacing of money politics in MCA, which he said would destroy the party.

“I advise those with money to put it to better use like for building of schools or temples,” he said. MCA’s polls which will be held on Sunday is seeing a three-cornered fight for the presidency with Tee Keat challenged by Ka Ting and former deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

Also up for grabs are the deputy president’s post, four vice-president posts besides places in the all-powerful CC. The Oct 10 EGM resulted in unexpected outcomes.

Tee Keat lost a confidence vote, Soi Lek’s sacking was overturned but was denied the deputy president’s post, a decision which was later overturned by the Registrar of Societies.

Thereafter the internal crisis in MCA only worsened, leading to two-thirds of the CC members resigning and forcing this Sunday’s polls. — Bernama