MCA Youth chief O­ng Tee Keat was today referred to the party's disciplinary committee for investigation and further action pertaining to his recent allegations o­n triad politics in the party.

This was decided at a two-hour presidential council meeting at the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik told reporters after chairing the meeting that o­ng had "repeatedly tarnished the image of MCA and its leaders".

'

Misdeeds' recounted

At the press conference, Ling ( centre ) cited examples of O­ng's alleged misconduct: "He had openly cast doubts o­n the credibility, accountability and transparency of the leadership in handling the Chang Ming Thien Foundation (a multi-million ringgit education fund run by the party).

"He had also accused politicians in the government of protecting loan sharks and claimed recently that the party has been infiltrated and influenced by triads."

Ling also said O­ng had "shown disrespect to the party leadership and central committee" by openly stating that he had no trust in the party leadership.

"There were so many avenues and opportunities for him to air his grievances and complaints to the party. But he had chosen to go o­n frequent outbursts and (to use) innuendos and (has) shown total disregard for party discipline," he said.

At a separate press conference this afternoon, O­ng said he will "announce at the right time" whether he would co-operate with the disciplinary committee.

Audited accounts

To a question as to why O­ng's past remarks were o­nly being brought up now for disciplinary action, Ling replied, "We just received the audited accounts of Chang Ming Thien Foundation a few days ago. It proved that all his accusations were false.

"I have been very, very tolerant with him and I still am. But when people repeatedly flout the rules, there comes a time when we must say enough is enough."

He said there was no time frame for the five-member disciplinary committee headed by party veteran member Kam Woon Wah to complete its investigation into O­ng's alleged misconduct.

(Kam headed another ad hoc committee two years ago which held O­ng responsible for the fracas at the MCA Youth 2001 annual general assembly. The finding resulted in the suspension of the entire Youth leadership for six months.)

Ling said O­ng would remain the MCA Youth chief pending the outcome of the investigation.

"We are not prejudging him, so the issue of suspension does not arise," he said.

PR status

The MCA chief also said the presidential council had discussed Wanita chief Dr Ng Yen Yen's Australian permanent resident status , which she had held between 1990 and 1995.

"There was a suggestion to refer her to the disciplinary committee but this was defeated. It was rejected by the council as she had openly admitted that she had the PR status because of her children studying in Australia," he said.

"I have a lot of personal friends who became Australian PR for the same reason. It was economic to educate their children that way. Their children are now doctors and lawyers and are back in Malaysia. So there's no question about their loyalty to the country."

Pressed further, he said Ng will explain why she had not declared her PR status while she was a senator since 1993 until she was appointed a deputy minister after the 1999 general election.

"You (will) have to ask her that, I think she will reveal it at the right stage. It is past, she had revoked it. It is history.... In the future, people will be more careful and aware about these things," he said.

Ng left immediately after the council meeting and was not available for comments.

Proper channels

Ling also thanked acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for agreeing with him that O­ng's allegation of triad politics was a "party affair".

"I told him that we have our party constitution to deal with disciplinary problems and he agreed," Ling said.

"I would like to record heartfelt thanks to him for giving me the two names which O­ng submitted to him. We will ask the disciplinary committee to also look into the two names and see if they are party members and triad elements."

Asked why the two names were not referred to the police, he said, "We have to go through the proper channels first and the acting prime minister had promised to give us any further help."

As to whether the action against O­ng would affect o­ngoing peace efforts within MCA, he replied: "If we want peace, we should work o­n constructive agenda like Utar (MCA-run Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman) and its fund-raising activities.

"When people come up with all sorts of issues Chang Ming Thien Foundation, loan sharks, and triads all the time, it gets irritating. Come o­n lah , let's concentrate o­n what is positive and constructive."

Commenting o­n O­ng's allegations last week that a government leader had sold classified information for profit and that a politician had amassed millions of ringgit through illegal means, Ling retorted: "He (Ong) did not say he is poor, did he?"

MCA has openly split into two factions Team A led by Ling and Team B led by his deputy Lim Ah Lek - ever since the party's controversial purchase of two Chinese dailies two years ago.

A staunch critic of Ling's leadership and a Team B firebrand leader, O­ng o­n March 9 shocked the public when he claimed that the party was infiltrated by triads.