theSun | WEDNESDAY AUGUST 19 2009
news without borders
Tiong confirms SPDP
peninsula-bound
SARAWAK Progressive Democratic Party
(SPDP) treasurer-general and Youth chief
Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing confirmed
speculation that his party intends to
spread its wings to Peninsular Malaysia,
but says MCA need not fret.
Tiong told China Press and Sin Chew
Daily this on Monday in response to
reports which quoted MCA president
Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat as warning party
delegates that some people were plan-
ning to set up a party to replace or even
destroy MCA with the help of a party from
East Malaysia.
Ong’s remarks, which was made at the
briefing on Sunday, raised speculation that
he was referring to SPDP, whose Bintulu MP,
Tiong, had been actively involved in canvass-
ing support for the Barisan Nasional (BN) in
recent by-elections in the peninsula.
But Tiong, the BN Backbenchers Club
chairman who is embroiled in the Port
Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) fiasco and the
RM10 million donation controversy, asked:
“Why should Ong Tee Keat make a big fuss
over my party’s intention to expand to the
peninsula as SPDP, being a multi-racial
party, has nothing much to do with MCA,
which is a Chinese-based party?”
“What is the big problem for SPDP
to spread wings to the peninsula, as we
(SPDP and MCA) are all BN component
parties?
“Does it mean that only parties from
the peninsula can expand to Sabah and
Sarawak and not vice versa?” China Press
quoted him as asking.
He pointed out that the Dayak-majority
SPDP intends to go national because it
wants to offer an option to voters who
are not happy with the existing parties in
the peninsula.
“We want to give voters an additional
option under the BN banner; can this be
seen as destroying the MCA?”
He said there is no reason why MCA,
a party with 60 years of solid foundation
and well established in all the peninsula
states, should be afraid of a small party
like SPDP.
“If Ong Tee Keat is paranoid (about
SPDP’s intention to expand to the penin-
sula), how will he be able to lead MCA’s
charge against the Opposition in the next
general election?”
Anyway, he said, the party had met
Press Digest
by Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
only once to discuss its expansion plans
and there was nothing concrete yet. He
said those who want to know more about
the plan should ask his party chief Datuk
Seri William Mawan Ikom.
However, Tiong clarified that he would
not fight for the chance to spearhead
SPDP’s expansion to the peninsula.
This is not the first time SPDP has ex-
pressed its intentions to spread its wings
to the peninsula.
In May this year, Mawan said the party
was amending its constitution to allow
branches to be set up outside Sarawak.
On another note, Tiong revealed to
China Press that a person with close
connection with the Port Klang Authority
had once told him that someone high up
in the government wanted to “finish him
off” whatever it took.
He said he was told someone had tried
to look for evidence in the PKFZ investiga-
tion report to nail him, and flew into a rage
when it was pointed out there was none.
On the RM10 million donation which
he claims to have made to the MCA, Tiong
dared Ong to face off with him on what
happened to the money.
Chua supports Ong but
says leave party out of it
by Giam Say Khoon
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: MCA deputy
president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi
Lek yesterday pledged support for
party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee
Keat for lodging a police report
against an allegation he took a
RM10 million “loan” but said the
party should not be involved in the
matter.
He said he supported Ong’s
determination in resolving the Port
Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal
and his decision to lodge the police
report, and possible legal action
against Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd
(KDSB) chief executive officer Datuk
Seri Tiong King Sing for accusing
Ong of receiving the money.
“However, Tiong’s allegation is
a personal matter between Ong
and him, so I believe the police
and Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission (MACC) will conduct
a thorough investigation to find out
who is telling the truth,” Chua, the
Barisan Nasional (BN) chief coordi-
nator, told reporters before chairing
a BN coordinators’ meeting.
“Since the party treasurer-gen-
eral (Tan Sri Tee Hock Seng) had de-
nied receiving the money, the party
should not be involved in it because
it will affect the image of the party
7
as well as the president.”
Chua said he objected to the
decision made at the central com-
mittee meeting yesterday that the
committee had agreed to back the
president in this issue.
On the allegation purportedly
claimed by Ong during the emer-
gency briefing with party members
on Sunday that there is a force
raising RM100 million to topple
him from within the party, Chua
said Ong should not be worried by
the “conspiracy theory” because
the members will judge the leaders
based on performance.
“I see the allegation as baseless
and such conspiracy theory will
affect the party and BN because it
made the members to be seen as
only looking for money and this is
an insult to the members.
“MCA is now at the lowest point
and people want to see how the
party serves them.
“We are elected to serve the
people, not to serve politics. If we
continue with this internal conflict,
we will be replaced by the people
in the next general election.”
Asked whether he believed that
Ong did not take the money, Chua
said his personal opinion was of no
consequences as the police’s and
MACC’s findings would be more
important to spot the liar.