DAP MP Ong will not contest in GE15

Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming has announced his decision not to offer himself as a candidate for the 15th general election and to take a break from politics.

He said while the recent DAP Central Executive Committee election where he failed to win a seat did play a role, it was not the main reason for his decision to take a break from frontline politics.

"When I was first offered to be a candidate for the parliamentary seat of Serdang, my agreement with my wife was that I would serve out two terms and then re-evaluate the situation.

"Coming to the end of my second term, I believe that I have served my constituency, my party and the country to the best of my abilities.

"It is now time for the younger generation in the party to take over the reins of leadership," said Ong, who will be 47 in September.

In a statement today, Ong also expressed full confidence in the leadership of Anthony Loke as DAP's new secretary-general and urged all members and leaders of the party to show their full support for Loke.

'A life-changing experience.'

Ong was first elected as Serdang MP in 2013 before switching over to represent Bangi in 2018.

He served as the deputy international trade and industry minister in the Pakatan Harapan administration until its collapse in Feb 2020.

"It has been my honour to serve the voters and residents of Bangi over the past four years and as MP for the Serdang parliamentary constituency from 2013 to 2018. The past nine years of serving as MP have been a life-changing experience.

"I have engaged with people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and nationalities in different places all across the country.

"I have been involved in projects and been to places in Malaysia which I would not have visited if not for my work as an MP and deputy minister," he added.

Ong also thanked volunteers, party members, and voters for placing their trust in him.

He made special mention of Damansara MP Tony Pua as the person responsible for bringing him into the party and advocating his selection as a candidate.

"Tony is responsible for giving the party fresh ideas and new visions in both direct ways, through Impian Sabah and Sarawak, through his persistence and publicity on the 1MDB scandal, through Theater Impian, just to name a few – and indirect ways – notably through the recruitment of new members who were later fielded as candidates starting from the 2008 GE all to the way to the 2018 GE.

"I would also like to thank Lim Guan Eng for having the confidence in me and naming me as the DAP candidate for the parliamentary constituency of Serdang in 2013 and Bangi in 2018.

"I am also immensely grateful for being able to serve as one of his special officers for a period of two months when he was minister of finance and later, for being named as one of the party's candidates to be a deputy minister, for which I served for a period of 20 months," he said.

He also praised DAP's veteran leader Lim Kit Siang, saying that the veteran had shown the country how a politician is able to put the country's priorities over individual priorities and is one of the most respected politicians in Malaysia's political history.

"I would also like to thank all my parliamentary colleagues who expressed appreciation for my service to the party and also those who tried to convince me to change my mind in my decision not to contest in GE15, including Tony Pua, Liew Chin Tong, Yeo Bee Yin, Teo Nie Ching, Anthony Loke, Wong Shu Qi, Hannah Yeoh, Wong Hon Wai, M Kulasegaran, Gobind Singh Deo, Ngeh Koo Ham, Nga Kor Ming, RSN Rayer and Kelvin Yii, among others. It has been a pleasure and an honour to serve with you in Parliament," Ong said.

Sarawak DAP, PSB to begin 'united front' talks on Tuesday

'Big tent' approach only with opposition, not PN - Loke

COMMENT | 'Big Tent' strategy a misreading of election history

After DAP rebuff, Umno too closes door on Hulk's candidacy