VIDEO l 1.51 min

Pandan MP Ong Tee Keat is not perturbed by MCA's decision not to nominate him to defend the seat in the coming general election because BN chairperson Najib Abdul Razak will have the final say on BN's candidates.

Ong told a press conference at his service centre today that he was he was not surprised by the MCA announcement.

“In fact, I had been expecting this since two or three years ago. However, it is the BN chairman's prerogative to decide on the candidate list.

NONE “Even if Chua wants to contest, that decision too lies in the hands of the BN chairperson,” he said.

Ong at the press conference was flanked by some Pandan MCA division members, BN component party members and local NGOs in an attempt to show that he has local support.

He called the press conference today to respond to MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek's announcement yesterday that MCA has not nominated Ong as the party's candidate for Pandan.

Chua also claimed that Ong did not have the support of the Pandan MCA division, BN component parties and local NGOs.

'Chua should stand in Pandan'

Ong said he had been contesting under the BN banner in every electoral outing and has never used the MCA logo during his campaign.

However, he refused comment on whether he would contest as an independent should he be dropped by BN. He also skirted a question  on whether Najib has indicated that he would be allowed to defend the seat.

NONE Ong also mocked Chua by challenging the him to contest in Pandan, since the latter had once claimed that he was a “ winnable candidate anywhere I go ”.

“I'm not interested in any unnecessary exchanges with him, but he should also know the ground feedback when he makes a statement.

“Politicians, in particular a party chief, should know the fact that the ground feedback is a thermometer by which one will know the temperature of the 'water',” he said.

No meeting called

Also present at the press conference were Umno Taman Cempaka branch chairperson Mat Aris Yusof, Selangor Gerakan Youth chief Ben Liew, MIC Pandan division Youth chief TM Padmanathan and representatives from various local NGOs.

azlan Five Pandan MCA division office bearers - deputy chief Tan Chuan Yong, Wanita chief Leong Siew Kam, organising secretary Chung Mun Hing, deputy organising secretary Lee Fook Seng and committee member Lee Cheing Fong – were also in attendance.

Tan and Leong expressed shock over the latest development, saying the division did not meet to decide on the division's nominee as the Pandan candidate.

Tan said he tried in vain to contact division chief Ong Chen Huing to clarify matters and has thus called for an urgent committee meeting tomorrow to discuss the latest development.

He said eight out of the 15 division committee members have agreed to attend the meeting.

Tee Keat not on MCA's GE13 list