The MCA’s designated candidates for one parliamentary seat and two state seats in Johor were not revealed when the state BN announced its list in Johor Baru this morning.

The parliamentary seat is Tanjung Piai , while the state seats are Senai and Pekan Nenas .

All three constituencies were won by MCA in the last general election, but they would be seen as “black seats” in the coming GE.

According to the list released by MCA yesterday, the candidates are Wong You Fong (Tanjung Piai), Wee Jeck Seng (Pekan Nenas) and Tang Nai Soon (Senai).

NONE However, Wee was absent during the ceremony held in a hotel in Johor Baru where candidacy appointment letters signed by BN chairperson Najib Abdul Razak were given out by state BN chief Abdul Ghani Othman.

It was an embarrassing moment for Tang ( left ), for he had to turn back as he walked to the stage, because the emcee did not name the candidate for Senai.

Wong was also present at the ceremony attended by more than 1,000 BN local leaders and supporters.

It is understood that Wee and his supporters were unhappy after learning that MCA leadership decided to move him to his former seat, Pekan Nenas.

Wee, a protege of former MCA president Ong Ka Ting, was first elected as Pekan Nenas assemblyperson before winning the Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat in the 2008 general election. He was then appointed as deputy minister of youth and sports.

azlan He lost his post as deputy minister after MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek took over the helm in 2010.

Wee's supporters called a press conference in Pontian this morning and protested against his 'demotion'.

It was said that Wee, a popular figure in Tanjung Piai, would contest as independent candidate if he is not chosen as BN candidate for the parliamentary seat.

The naming of Wong, who was slated to contest in Tanjung Piai, and Tang, who is the incumbent Pekan Nenas state representative, were said to be withheld to avoid further embarrassment should BN change its mind to field Wee back to Tanjung Piai, a stronghold of the ruling coalition.

Asked about the missing names during a press conference later, Ghani tried to play it down by saying “it is a localised matter that can be solved” but did not provide any details.

“We have to wait for the final status from the leadership... There is no latest development in these seats,” Ghani said.

He insisted that the issue did not reflect any disgruntlement on the ground but a matter of allocating the correct seats to suitable candidates.

Johor BN candidates