Digest on Malaysian News

It's Ong Tee Keat and Chua Soi Lek.

The hotly contested MCA polls came to a close tonight, handing Ong Tee Keat the presidency and 'underdog' Chua Soi Lek another chance at Malaysian politics

MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat Saturday won the MCA presidential race after defeating former vice-president Datuk Seri Chua Jui Meng at the party polls held at the MCA headquarters at Wisma MCA here.

The presidency fell vacant after incumbent Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting did not seek re-election.

For the deputy presidency, party secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, the elder brother of outgoing president (Ong Ka Ting), lost his battle for promotion to former Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who resigned from all party and cabinet posts after a video tape of him in a compromising position with his girlfriend was made public late last year.

Comments from the elected candidates:

Newly-elected MCA president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said one of his first tasks was to collaborate with the other elected leaders.

Newly-elected MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has promised to fulfil his pledge to help reinvent and rebuild the party.

MCA’s first woman vice-president Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen hopes her breakthrough will spur other women to work harder towards their dreams.

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From Bernama

Ong And Chua Win MCA Top Two Posts

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat Saturday won the MCA presidential race after defeating former vice-president Datuk Seri Chua Jui Meng at the party polls held at the MCA headquarters at Wisma MCA here.

Ong, who is also Transport Minister, polled 1,429 votes against 917 votes garnered by Chua, a former Health Minister.

Loud cheers from Ong's supporters greeted the outcome of one of the most intense battles in party history at 9.45pm tonight, some seven hours after the 2,378 delegates cast their ballots to pick the MCA national leaders.

The presidency fell vacant after incumbent Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting did not seek re-election.

For the deputy presidency, party secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, the elder brother of outgoing president (Ong Ka Ting), lost his battle for promotion to former Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who resigned from all party and cabinet posts after a video tape of him in a compromising position with his girlfriend was made public late last year.

Dr Chua polled 1,115 votes while Ong obtained 1,001, in the win described by political pundits as an upset.

The other two contenders in the race were Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai who got 209 votes and Lee Hack Teik, a former state assemblyman, who managed only 10 votes.

The deputy presidency fell vacant after incumbent Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy declined to seek re-election.

The top two positions are considered important at this juncture, especially after the party suffered a humiliating defeat in the March 8 general election, which saw MCA winning only 46 state and parliamentary seats compared to the 106 it had secured in the 2004 polls.

Meanwhile, in the four seat vice-president race former Wanita chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen, created party history after she was elected as the first woman veep in the party's 59-year history.

Others who made the cut were Health Minister and former Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, Tan Kok Hong from Johor and Lumut division chief Datuk Kong Cho Ha, who topped the list of 25 elected CC members at the last party elections.

Dr Ng polled 1,659 votes while Liow obtained 1,725 votes with Kong garnering 1,798 votes and Tan 1,329 votes.

Other contestants in the race were incumbent Datuk Seri Fong Chan Onn (883 votes), Deputy Home Minister and Alor Setar Member of Parliament Datuk Chor Chee Heung (1,233 votes), former veep and former Serdang Member of Parliament Datuk Yap Pian Hon (445 votes) and Kuala Langat MCA division vice chairman Lim Teck Chong (268 votes).

Meanwhile delegates to the assembly also picked 25 MCA Central Committee delegates.

They were Lee Wei Kiat, Wong Foon Meng, Tan Chai Ho, Tan Cheng Liang, Dr Hou Kok Chung, Lee Chee Leong, Gan Ping Shou, Yu Chok Tow, Wong Nai Chee, Lee Sing Chooi, Wee Jeck Seng, Gan Tian Loo, Dr Yeow Chai Thiam, Chong Itt Chew, Hoh Khai Mun, Ti Lian Ker, Liew Yuen Keong, Wong Mook Leong, Paul Kong Sing Chu, Edward Khoo Keok Hai, Tee Siew Kiong, Loh Seng Kok, Wong Siong Hwee, Dr Por Choo Chor and Loke Yuen Yow.

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From TheStar

Soi Lek promises to reinvent party

KUALA LUMPUR: Newly-elected MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has promised to fulfil his pledge to help reinvent and rebuild the party.

He also pledged to regain the members’ confidence in MCA.

“I will work together with the entire central committee to regain the people’s hope and confidence in MCA,” he said yesterday.

He also called for all members to close ranks and move ahead.

“We must be united and work together in order to bring about effective changes,” he added.

Dr Chua defeated former secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, former vice-president Datuk Donald Lim and Lee Hack Teik, a former Penang assemblyman.

Dr Chua garnered 1,115 votes while Ong received 1,001. Lim received 209 and Lee 10 votes.

Dr Chua, 61, was accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Wong Sek Hin, son Chua Tee Yong, who is also the Labis MP and other family members.

All of them wore smiles as word emerged that Dr Chua had won.

Dr Chua, who beat Ong by a 114-vote majority, also thanked central delegates for their support.

Ong said he accepted the decision made by the central delegates.

“The central delegates have made their decision, and I respect and accept it, whether it is good or bad,” he said.

“When I decided to contest, I was prepared to accept any consequences.”

When asked whether he would continue to be active in politics, Ong said:

“It will depend on the party because I do not have any post now. If the party still wants me, I am willing to serve. If the party feels that I should make way, I will abide.”

Ong, together with his wife Datin Seri Chan Beng Choo, arrived at Dewan San Choon at about 9.15pm.

Lim and Lee were in Wisma MCA earlier yesterday but left before results were announced.

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From The Star
Ng hopes to inspire others

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA’s first woman vice-president Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen hopes her breakthrough will spur other women to work harder towards their dreams.

“This is an important watershed for women in politics. It has proven that it can be done but women have to work hard, be doubly good, because men will not vote because of sympathy,” said the Women, Family and Community Development Minister.

Dr Ng came in third out of the four vice-presidency post.

She acknowledged that many had not taken her seriously in the beginning but she took it as a challenge.

“As the minister in charge of women affairs, I had to take on this challenge to show that I dared to take risks,” she said, thanking the women delegates who had been her first tier of support.

“I also thank the men. Throughout the whole election day, I was relaxed because I really felt their friendship,” she said.

Datuk Kong Cho Ha, who garnered the highest votes for a vice-presidency post, said:

“This is the beginning of responsibility. I can also see that those elected are a united team.”

Kong urged those who did not win not to give up.

“There’s always room in the party. We have work to do,” he said, adding that members must be united to serve the party.

Former MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, who garnered the second highest number of votes for vice-presidency, said the results of the elections showed that democracy flourished in the party.

“We have many plans to expedite the party’s reformation process after we suffered a big setback in the March 8 general election. We need to strengthen the party and the entire organisation to prepare for the next general election,” he said.

Johor MCA deputy chairman Tan Kok Hong, who beat several big names to occupy the last vice-president post, thanked the delegates, adding:

“I will work together with the rest of the members who were elected. We will work as a team for the future of the party. We will meet soon to discuss our plan of action. It will be teamwork rather than individual action.”

Datuk Yap Pian Hon, who garnered a total of 445 votes, did not win the MCA vice-president election but stressed that he was not disappointed.

“It’s the decision by the central delegates, and it (election) is a democratic process,” he said.

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From TheStar

Tee Keat to work with leaders

KUALA LUMPUR: Newly-elected MCA president Datuk Ong Tee Keat said one of his first tasks was to collaborate with the other elected leaders.

“We will get down to business right away,” he told reporters at a hotel near Wisma MCA after he was declared party president yesterday.

The Transport Minister polled 1,429 votes to beat former vice-president Datuk Chua Jui Meng who got 917.

Ong said he now had more than one task to tackle.

On working with newly-elected deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, he said he could work with anybody.

To those who lost, Ong said he would continue to encourage them.

On the president’s race, he said he had been cautiously optimistic.

“For each and every campaign trail, I was working very hard to reach out to everybody,” he said.

Chua said he would continue to work towards his vision for the party and community despite his defeat.

His vision, as outlined in his manifesto, included fighting for fairness for all Malaysians and eradicating corruption.

Chua attributed his defeat to “a block of votes that did not arrive”.

“I thought I would get a fair chance in the race. I did not expect to lose,” he said.

He said it appeared that the majority of the central delegates were still conventional and did not buy what he had to offer.

Chua, 64, said he hoped the new team would be fair and just, and work for the good of the people.

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