Maverick politician Wee Choo Keong today launched a major offensive against his rival for the parliamentary Bukit Bintang seat, DAP incumbent Fong Kui Lun, by revealing that the latter has a 'business association' with a former Umno leader.

Wee, the sole candidate representing the Malaysian Democratic Party (MDP), said Fong owns a car dealership, Shatrade Sdn Bhd, which allegedly involves close co-operation with Umno leaders. However, Fong has denied this.

Wee said Shatrade not only relies solely on approval permits (APs) from Umno to import cars but that a former cabinet minister, the late Shariff Ahmad, had served as director in the family-owned company.

(Shariff was the agriculture minister between 1978 and 1980, and the land and regional development minister between 1980 and 1982.)

Said Wee: "This shows that Fong is just a political hypocrite who is prepared to sacrifice his party's political principles for his business. If Fong is genuine, he would not have appointed a former Umno minister to be his family-owned company director."

When contacted, Fong denied any conflict of interest, saying that Shariff was no longer a cabinet minister when he served as director of Shatrade.

He also said Shatrade does not hold any APs since it deals only in used cars and does not import foreign vehicles.

"This is a non-issue. The claims are baseless," he said.

Wolf in sheep's clothing?

Wee, however, insisted that the wider implication of Fong's 'business connections' is whether he would be able to effectively represent his constituents "without fear or favour" in Parliament if he is elected on Sunday.

Labelling Fong a "wolf in sheep's clothing", Wee said Fong's 'business connections' have compromised the latter's ability to speak on certain issues, particularly those relating to customs and excise regulations.

"That's why Fong never spoke about or against APs being awarded to Umno leaders exclusively... I am questioning the integrity of Fong Kui Lun," he said during a press conference at his operations centre in Petaling Street today.

"It is obvious that Fong cannot afford to offend them because of his business interests."

Wee, a former DAP MP for Bukit Bintang in 1995 and a lawyer, is vying for Fong's seat together with MCA's Tan Chew Mooi, and Independent Billi Lim.

He is trying his luck for a comeback nine years after his 1995 elections results were controversially overturned by the High Court in the same year. The court handed the seat to MCA's Dr Lee Chong Meng, who held it until losing to Fong in 1999.

Wee was barred from contesting in 1999 because of his conviction for contempt of court in 1995. He then formed the MDP just before the 1999 polls after falling out with DAP leaders.

Mass resignations

According to documents obtained from the Registrar of Companies, copies of which were distributed to reporters by Wee today, it was noted that Shariff and Fong were both listed as directors of Shatrade in 1998.

They were both withdrawn in August 1999, although Fong's wife, Ong Kwai Leng, remained on the board. Shariff had resigned from the cabinet in 1982.

Meanwhile, Wee also took a swipe at DAP by claiming that the party appeared to have swept the matter under the carpet because it was not "exposed".

"This is very typical of the DAP. It is similar to the case of the 19 ( sic ) DAP councillors appointed to the PAS government in Terengganu," he said referring to the controversy which triggered the resignation en masse of 15 DAP members late last year.

The group quit in protest of a directive by the party central executive committee for them to resign from their positions in the PAS-led governments in Kelantan and Terengganu, on grounds that their appointments ran counter to DAP's anti-Islamic state policy.

"DAP is duty-bound to let people know whether it is in agreement with (Fong's connections). I would be very surprised if the other party leaders did not know of this. Was this done with the consent of party chairperson Lim Kit Siang?" he asked.

Police interruption

In another development, Wee made a public protest over restrictions placed on his ceramah (political talks) by the police and Election Commission officials.

Yesterday, police disrupted Wee's ceramah in Brickfields, saying that he had not obtained a police permit to address the public.

Although police kept close watch on MDP speakers for more than an hour, no action was taken until Wee addressed the crowd.

"I was talking about police (abuse) of powers. They tried to take away my loudspeaker. We negotiated and they allowed me a little more time to speak," he said.

Undaunted, the MDP leader said he would be returning to the same spot tonight to address the public.

"I sent in my applications for police permit but until now, they have not replied. What can I do? I cannot wait. By the time they come back, elections may be over!" he said.

'The BN has access to television and radio broadcasts. They also have the newspapers. This is the our only way so they should let us do it."

In a protest letter addressed to Bukit Bintang returning officer V Kanagasivam, Wee complained that he had also been warned by EC campaign enforcement officer Abdul Hamid to stop his public address or risk having a report lodged against him.

"I find this most ridiculous that such an unfair tactic was employed to deprive me of the opportunity to campaign. I find the instruction from Abdul Hamid most undemocratic and an attempt to help the Barisan Nasional," he said.

Yesterday's ceramah - which attracted about 50 people - saw several speakers passionately articulating the MDP's opposition to any attempt by any party to turn Malaysian into an Islamic state.

The speakers also aired their dissatisfaction with recurring scandals over corruption and police abuse of powers.