MCA president Ong Ka Ting managed to project a picture of calm at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (SCAH) in Kuala Lumpur today after being indirectly told by his host "to go and sell potatoes if he cannot serve the people".

The housing and local government minister was the guest-of-honour at the SCAH swearing-in ceremony of new office bearers when outgoing president Ting Chee Seng's sudden outburst caught the audience by surprise.

In his farewell speech, Ting said one of his regrets during his two-year term as SCAH president was that he could not solve the controversial closure of the original SJK(C) Damansara school issue.

He further raised his concern on the shortage of Chinese schools in Petaling Jaya.

"We don't know whether the minister is able to see this problem or not, or whether he is willing or not to resolve this problem," Ting ( photo ) said, strongly hinting at Ong although he did not mention names.

"If a minister cannot serve the people, than he should go back and sell potatoes," he added in a sarcastic tone.

No ready answer

Although the minister looked visibly embarrassed by Ting's tirade, he nevertheless managed to compose himself and respond calmly in his address later.

"The reason why I am here today is to serve the people," he said.

"I believe Ting was not referring to me, so I don't have to go back to sell potatoes," said the MCA president.

SCAH's relationship with the government has been rather rocky over the years with its vocal support for Chinese education movements and the campaigns for human rights and democracy.

On the Damansara school issue, Ong said he did not have a ready answer on how it should be settled.

He said the government did not perceive it as a closure since the school was relocated from Petaling Jaya to Tropicana.

However, he also remarked that it was not wrong for the residents to fight for a community school in their area.

"How can you say that we (MCA) did not do our best for the school before? If we didn't, then how would I know so many details about this school?" Ong asked.

He advised SCAH to protect and enhance social unity even as they strive hard for certain ethnic aspirations.

In a related development, the Writers' Alliance for Media Independence ( Wami ) expressed its "regret and shock" over SCAH's decision to invite the MCA president to witness the swearing in ceremony.

Wami in a statement urged SCAH to be firm on its previous stands in opposing the MCA take-over of Nanyang, support for the Damansara school and the Suqiu election appeals committee.

Not an issue

Speaking to reporters later, Ong said the take-over of Nanyang Press should not be an issue anymore and urged interest groups to stop 'wasting their time' by harping on the matter.

"The decision (of takeover) was already made in an (MCA) extraordinary general meeting, so it (the issue) is already over, it was a final decision... it shouldn't be an issue anymore," he stressed.

He added that the acquisition of Nanyang was a "business investment" and urged the public to stop viewing it from a political angle.

"The Nanyang people have carried out their jobs very professionally, so let them carry on with their work and let us stop wasting time in discussing this matter," Ong stressed.

The Chinese-based party acquired Nanyang, the publisher of two major vernacular dailies China Press , Nanyang Siang Pau and over 20 publications, in 2001 amid strong objections from the community in 2001.

The party's investment arm, Huaren Holdings, purchased a combined stake of 72 percent in Nanyang from Hume Industries and its wholly owned subsidiary Hume Plastics for RM230 million.

MCA also owns Malaysia's leading English newspaper, the Star .

Oriental Daily News

today reported that a Johor MCA branch leader has urged the party to furnish a report on the development of Nanyang after the take-over in order to show party members whether the purchase was a correct move.

The Nanyang acquisition subsequently caused a three-year leadership crisis in the party.