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Leadership takeover:  New MCA President Datuk Ong Ka Ting must resolve two outstanding issues

Press Statement
 by Kerk Kim Hock

(Petaling Jaya, Monday): Although former MCA President Datuk Seri Ling Long Ski had, not long ago, declared that he would continue to hold the position of party presidency until 2005, it was obvious that he had no choice but to resign three days ago to end the three year long intense party conflict between teams A and B within the MCA.

 

As the new deputy MCA president Datuk Chan Kon Choy has said two days ago that the internal conflict has only been solved technically, it remains to be seen whether the leadership changes will be able to bring about  true unity and lasting  peace .

 

While the new Ong -Chan leadership combination will have to work out plans to inspire confidence about their leadership and abilities, there are two outstanding issues, which the new MCA President Datuk Ong Ka Ting must prove his ability to resolve.

 

The two issues are the allegations of black gold politics in MCA and the MCA JE Humanitarian Fund, which the former President Datuk Ling Liong Sik has yet to resolve or satisfactorily answer before his resignation as the party chief.

 

In March this year, after having met MCA Youth head Datuk Ong Tee Keat on his allegations of existence of black gold politics in MCA, the deputy Prime Minister Datuk Abdullah Badawi had asked Ling Liong Sik to investigate into Ong’s allegations.

 

Ong’s allegations are very serious and warrant a thorough investigation . It is an issue which has affected the MCA’s credibility and image. It is also an issue which the Chinese community is concerned about.

 

Hence, I call on the new MCA President Datuk Ong Ka Ting to carry out a thorough and speedy investigation and to publish  the outcome of the internal investigations.

 

On the question of the  MCA JE Humanitarian Fund, Ka ting should also provide answers  which Ling has failed to give  despite my persistent and open calls on him to do so for the last two years.

 

Although the MCA JE Humanitarian Fund trustees had,  in 2001,  disbursed RM  25,000 each to about 60 Nipah patients who had appealed against the unfair disbursement , there are a few outstanding questions which Ling Liong Sik has not answered:

 

  1. Ling’s promise in 2000 that he would publish the criteria used in disbursing the MCA JE Humanitarian Fund
  2. how does MCA solve the problem of serious abuse of the Fund whereby non pig farmers and non Nipah patients were also successful Fund  recipients 
  3. when will MCA fulfill its promise to publish the final account of the Fund
  4. when will MCA provide me with  the final list of recipients

 

As every single cent of the Fund comes from the public, Ong Ka Ting must be prepared to answer questions which Ling has chosen to evade for  such  a long time.

(26/5/2003)

* Kerk Kim Hock, DAP Secretary General & MP for Kota Melaka