theSun | MONDAY MARCH 2 2009 3

news without borders

ZULKEFLI ERSAL/THESUN

MCA’s
MCA chief: ‘Gestapo’
vs ...
What EGM?
by Giam Say Khoon and Chua had never
news analysis by Ng Kee Seng
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

IS THE MCA leadership, elected

only last October, under siege and
heading for another protracted
Loo Sim Ee sat down and dis- crisis? Recent reports on MCA in
newsdesk@thesundaily.com cussed important newspapers, internet news portals
issues. and blogs have certainly created
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA “I am tired of an- that perception.
president Datuk Seri Ong Tee swering questions MCA president Datuk Seri Ong
Keat has denied the possibil- which are based Tee Keat’s no-nonsense leader-
ity of having an extraordinary on rumours that ship-style is now under attack by
general meeting (EGM), said to will split the party his detractors who, among the
be aimed at moving members many labels used, are likening him
a motion of no-confi- and the to the ‘Gestapo’.
dence against him. What public. MCA But who are these people who
“Did I call for an we are “What Chua said calling for an president posted their views on the internet
EGM or did anyone fighting now we are president. EGM is not a simple matter as Datuk Seri criticising Tee Keat while defend-
call for an EGM? Not fighting now is not However, at a press confer- it would split the party. Ong Tee ing his deputy, Datuk Seri Dr Chua
that I know of. is not for for our personal ence later, Chua said coopera- “An EGM is complicated and Keat (third Soi Lek, who unfortunately was
“I checked with our personal agenda but for the tion among the top leadership it is not just about signing a peti- right) cutting caught by spy-camera in bed with
many of my central agenda but for party,” he said. required sincerity and real tion, it must be something that the 60th his mistress or girlfriend.
action, not mere lip service. members really want,” he said. Many thought the video clip of
committee members the party.” On the incident anniversary
“There should be more He said the top leadership Chua, then the health minister and
and everyone was involving a group of cake with
– Ong Tee Keat interaction between the party had yet to talk about the EGM MCA vice-president, committing
equally surprised Umno Youth mem- present and
president and various levels of rumour. adultery and allegedly engaged in
over this (matter),” bers who threatened past party oral sex (a criminal offence) would
he told a press conference after Opposition MPs in parliament leadership,” he added. Asked if the call for EGM leaders. On his have ended his political career in
the party’s 60th anniversary last week, Ong said: “The party Chua also hoped the media was meant to pressure the right is former January last year.
celebration yesterday. does not think what happened would stop speculating on his party’s leadership so that Chua president Tan Cleverly using “bravery and
Ong, however, said he can- in the parliament is in line with relationship with Ong as such can be reappointed as a cabinet Sri Lee San honesty” as his theme to admit
not stop people from spreading Malaysian interests if we were speculation would cause their minister, he said: “It is wrong to Choon and that the man in the video clip
rumours of the EGM. to allow such misdeeds to hap- supporters to “do something or call for an EGM just to appoint on his left is was him, Chua drew sympathy by
Rumour has it that deputy pen in the august House.” create more problems”. someone to be a minister. The Datuk Seri resigning from the cabinet and all
president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Chua, meanwhile, said he “One thing worth looking EGM should only be called for Ong Ka Ting. his party posts.
Lek or his supporters planned to had issued a statement on into is why there are voices the benefit of the party.” Chua’s “political move” shifted
call for an EGM to topple Ong. Saturday declaring that he from the grassroots calling for Chua resigned as health the focus to the morality issue
On his relationship with has no problem working with an EGM after the party elections minister last year after a sex of spying and intrusion into the
Chua, Ong denied that he and any party leader including the last year.” scandal. privacy of individuals. However,
what was “overlooked” was the
criminal offence which resurfaced
following a police report lodged by
Bid to ship100kg of ketamine to Malaysia foiled a 51-year-old Petaling Jaya resident
who found the “pornographic DVD”
in his letter box on Feb 10.
CHENNAI: Indian sleuths have “The ketamine were well concealed lance at Chennai Port, often used as a seaports. It is so lucrative that they try Selangor CID chief SAC II
uncovered a clandestine operation in vessels made of stainless steel. gateway by drug cartels, after several all means,” said the officer. Hasnan Hassan has confirmed that
to ship out over 100kg of ketamine We discovered more than 600 steel major trafficking rings were busted in Details of the recent case remain police are investigating the case
to Malaysia through the South Indian vessels with false bottoms where the past months. sketchy as investigations are still in for distribution of pornographic
port of Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. drug was hidden. “It appears that syndicates are now progress, but sources say the pur- material and for unnatural sex
Officials from the Chennai “They were nicely packed in diverting to Tuticorin from Chennai ported ketamine export to Malaysia under Section 292(a) and 377(a) of
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence polythene bags and were meant for after several successful air and sea could exceed the 100kg, as more the Penal Code respectively.
(DRI) on Saturday discovered Malaysian buyers,” an investigating interventions where we seized large vessels are being checked. At the same time, Chua’s
the contraband worth some RM7 officer familiar with the case told amounts of ketamine. India is a major producer of keta- party supporters are now openly
million in the international market Bernama yesterday. “The ketamine seized is also mine hydrochloride for the pharma- lamenting about how Tee Keat is
hidden in several steel vessels The latest arrest in Tuticorin Port, multiplying from about 10kg to 20kg ceutical industry. “mistreating” his deputy, how the
that were exported in a container located about 550km from Chennai, confiscated from air passengers pre- It is commonly used as a veterinary sex video is being used to punish
registered under a person based in revealed traffickers were now trying viously to hundreds of kilogrammes drug but party-goers consume it for “a him a second time and to derail
Chennai. new ports to escape the tight vigi- now which are being shipped out via quick kick”. – Bernama a so-called bid to petition for an
extraordinary general meeting
(EGM). The EGM is supposedly to
move a motion of no-confidence
Cops: Political discord hampers crime-busting duties against the president.
Party insiders say it is almost
impossible for Chua’s supporters
by Charles Ramendran reports lodged by politicians. need immediate attention by police is litical party they are from, to put a stop to muster enough party delegates
newsdesk@thesundaily.com He said it was a waste of time deprived of the urgency. They are kept to this if they are sincerely concerned to petition for the EGM. Even if
when mass police reports are lodged waiting and time is a critical factor in about seeing crime statistics go down. there are enough delegates, will
KUALA LUMPUR: Police are frustrated over the same issue as it will all be crime-busting, every minute delayed Each police personnel is needed for the motion succeed?
with the current political turbulence in bundled into a single probe. means less time in solving a case. this purpose and we cannot spare any Interestingly, some say the
the country which they say is affecting He said when these groups or “All this political discord is not help- for unimportant matters,” he said. EGM is just a distraction created
their role as crime-busters. political parties began these mass ing as it is taking up too much of our He said some issues raised by to divert attention from the police
Federal CID director Datuk Seri reports at a particular police station or time and burning up our logistics un- these quarters were trivial but blown investigations, just like when Chua
Mohd Bakri Zinin said the tense political nationwide, the time taken to record necessarily. If at all they want to make out of proportion and brought to the admitted that he was the man
climate is putting immense pressure the report is wasted. a report, one will do,” he told theSun. police for action. featured in the video clip.
on his personnel as they are often re- “What they may not understand is When told that certain quarters Last month, Umno had lodged After last October’s party elec-
assigned to maintain order or disperse when they come in the masses to make feel that police appear to only pay at- close to 100 police reports nationwide tions, when Tee Keat announced
crowds at the frequent protests and the party appointments, the im-
these reports, another complainant tention to a case when mass reports against DAP chairman Karpal Singh for
mediate question was the reason
gatherings and to probe hundreds of with a more serious case which may are lodged, he said, “Who says so? We allegedly questioning the powers of for Chua not being appointed to
investigate every report we receive. the Perak Sultan while the Pakatan head the party disciplinary board,
There is no need to lodge dozens of Rakyat coalition had followed suit a position traditionally held by the
them for us to do so. One is enough. by making a similar move over other deputy president.
Umno Youth told to refrain from “The process of a probe is not political matters. Tee Keat’s reply was: “It is
simple as many may think. It is time- On Saturday, some 300 support- the president’s prerogative and
confrontation consuming and requires the gathering ers of Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar I need not reveal reasons for my
of facts and evidence and witness ac- gathered outside the Brickfields decisions.” The Chinese media
KUALA LUMPUR: Umno Youth vice- ments of Umno Youth grassroots is said to have been offended by
head Khairy Jamaludin yesterday because I think their anger is counts. This is not something that can police station in an attempt to lodge
be done in a few hours,” he said. hundreds of reports over the alleged such a response to their question.
advised its 700,000 members serious and he should watch his To many, the reply was brash and
against resorting to confronta- words,” he told reporters after of- Mohd Bakri said the police are lack of medical attention given to
committed to their responsibility of Uthayakumar. smacked of arrogance. Many im-
tion or physical violence which ficiating the Seputeh Youth Open mediately concluded that Tee Keat
could lead to chaos. He said the Futsal Championship here. ensuring the safety of the public and However, their attempts to do so
was sidelining Chua.
movement had never encouraged Khairy, who is also the MP for such matters are distracting them were thwarted by police who were Now, what if Tee Keat had
or condoned such acts by its Rembau, said this when asked to from doing so. forced to use water cannons to dis- replied: “I can’t have an adulterer
members. comment on the commotion that “We are answerable to the people perse the crowd. to head MCA’s disciplinary board,
“But at the same time, I wish occurred at Parliament House on if we fail to control crime. Our crime A total of 17 people, including can I?” Would that be arrogance,
to stress that all this cropped up Thursday, involving 30 members of prevention and solving structure is be- Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam and undiplomatic or hitting below the
because of Karpal Singh’s abrasive the Selangor Umno Youth and Kar- ing weakened by such actions and we Uthayakumar’s wife Indrani, were ar- belt?
remarks in the Dewan Rakyat. pal, who is the Bukit Gelugor MP urge those who lodge these mass re- rested and later released after having So, it’s ‘Gestapo’ vs ...?
“I feel Karpal Singh should be and DAP chairman. – Bernama ports, regardless of which group or po- their statements recorded.
careful, don’t provoke the senti-