MCA Youth realised the extent of triad infiltration in the party when witnesses who testified at an investigation into the fracas

which erupted at the wing's annual meet two years ago received threats, said its chief o­ng Tee Keat today.

He said members had put themselves at risk by coming forward to testify and produce photographic and video evidence for the investigation committee.

"They (the witnesses) were under tremendous pressure. Their families were harassed, they were subjected to verbal abuses and were even threatened with physical assault, especially in small towns outside Kuala Lumpur.

"If it was not because of the fracas, we would not know that the problem has become so serious in the party. Their network (the triad groups) is so pervasive and many members have felt insecure since then," he told malaysiakini .

Fracas pre-planned

He said the investigation committee - headed by then Youth acting secretary-general Liow Tiong Lai ( photo ) - also found that non-delegates wearing party uniforms were "loitering suspiciously" outside the venue of the annual meet o­n Aug 3, 2001 before the fracas erupted.

"The sequence of events suggested that the fracas did not happen spontaneously but was pre-planned by elements linked to the triads," he said.

Ong - who is also the deputy youth and sports minister - said he lodged several police reports and wrote to Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai regarding the fracas which saw a bomb scare, fist-fights and chair-throwing.

"But there was no reply. Everywhere I go, I am asked by the grassroots what had happened to the police reports," he said.

He said the findings of the police investigation would be crucial not just to clear his name but that of the entire Youth wing as well.

"We are not a militant group, most of our members are gentle people. The fracas perpetuated by a handful of people was a great injustice to those who have behaved well and shown discipline," he said.

Asked if he would urge the police to expedite their investigation, O­ng replied: "I have been and am waiting patiently for their report without losing my confidence in the rule of law."

Double standards

The Youth chief also criticised MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik for practising double standards when the latter demanded him to name those involved in triad group activities.

"When Ling warned

about money politics in MCA at the party's 54th anniversary dinner (on March 2), I responded well to his call without asking him to name any leaders to back his claim. Now he is asking me to provide him with names to back my claim," he said.

MCA split openly into two factions - Team A led by Ling and Team B led by deputy president Lim Ah Lek two years ago following the party's acquisition of two Chinese newspapers. O­ng is aligned to Team B.

The staunch critic of Ling's leadership made a shocking disclosure o­n Sunday when he claimed that MCA was infiltrated by triads and this led to "the root of money politics in the party".

Provide names

Commenting o­n this yesterday, Ling urged

the Youth chief to provide the names of the leaders and members associated with triad groups.

In reaction to this, O­ng urged the party president to first investigate the report o­n the fracas submitted to the presidential council two years ago, saying that the names of the culprits listed o­n the report would be a good start.

The presidential council had brushed aside the report then and instead set up another investigation committee comprising six veteran party members.

The veteran committee had opined in a separate report that "it is very difficult for us to exactly determine who were the culprits as this would mean that we are taking over the role of the police".

However, the committee ruled that a Youth extraordinary general meeting which sacked two leaders aligned to Ling two months before the annual meet, was null and void.

It also took o­ng and Youth speaker Lim Hong Sang to task for "premeditating the ruckus".

Ong was said to have "ridiculed and attacked" several Youth central committee members in his speech which led to the disorder, while Lim was held responsible for refusing to step down amid requests for him to be replaced with the deputy speaker.

The veteran committee's report later resulted in the Youth leadership, including o­ng, being suspended for six months since December 2001.

Street fighters

In a related development, Ling today reiterated his call for the Youth chief to name those who are allegedly involved in triad activities.

"I want him to name and go through the process (of the party constitution). There is a constitution governing the party," he was quoted as saying in a Bernama report.

The president stressed that o­ng could choose to leave the party if he did not respect the constitution, adding that he had made a derogatory accusation which implied that "everybody (in the party) is a street fighter".

Asked what would happen if he ignored the call to name the leaders, Ling said: "We will cross the bridge when we come to it. But I'm advising him, better follow what the constitution says."

Meanwhile, Wanita MCA urged o­ng to think twice before making any more statements o­n the matter since he has tarnished the party's image.

"We advise those who know the truth to come forward and spill the beans to the public. Those who try to smear the party's reputation by making false accusation should resign," said its chief Dr Ng Yen Yen, who is aligned to Team A.