Former MCA vice-president Yap Pian Hon today hit out at the party leadership for setting up an investigation committee into the snoop squad without any clear terms of reference.

yap pian hon mca snoop squad pc 190508 03 Yap, appearing before the three-member committee today, also affirmed a testimony previously made by veteran member Wong Leong on the existence of the snoop squad.

Yap was one of the six witnesses to testify before the committee today - the identities of the other five were kept confidential as requested by them.

Sources said that the 'secret' five had volunteered to testify provided that their identies were protected for fears of any potential reprisals.

Wong, an adviser of the PJ Utara Division, had previously submitted to the committee a detailed account of his meeting with former Gerakan Belia Bersatu Malaysia youth leader Tee Ann Chuan who allegedly was the chief coordinator of the snoop squad.

The hearing today at the party headquarters in Jalan Ampang was chaired by Dr Sak Cheng Lum, in the presence of committee member, lawyer Roger Tan. The third member of the committee, Michael Chen, was absent.

mca alleged snoop squad and the targets 130508 It was established to investigate into allegations that MCA president Ong Ka Ting had set the snoop squad on his political rivals.

Wong had also told the panel that Yap was one of the targets of the snoop squad.

The allegation that certain party leaders had formed a snoop squad to expose the private lives of political rivals was first made public by Wong two months ago.

A detailed analysis

Speaking to reporters after his session with the committee, Yap said he briefed the committee in detail on his meetings with Tee on two occasions, on Nov 9 and 15 last year

On the first occasion, he said, Wong and former Damansara Utama state assembly man Lim Choon Kim were also present.

mca snoop squad hearing 140508 01 He also confirmed that Tee ( photo, far right ) had important documents of the party, including a detailed analysis of party leaders and their political alignments at branch and division levels - indicators denoting their support or against the top party leadership.

"Even when I was the vice-president, I could not obtain such membership-cum-leadership contact lists," Yap said.

"Tee had wanted me to update and to supply him more information on the contact list of members and leaders in Selangor."

Yap said he believed Tee's major task was to help the incumbent party leadership in the preparation of intelligence or specific information on challenges facing the MCA chief in preparation for party election.

It's a waste of time

Yap also questioned party president Ong Ka Ting's seriousness in finding the truth behind the snoop squad.

"It's a pity that the presidential council also did not demonstrate any seriousness in ensuring or effectively facilitating the three-man hearing committee to find out the truth on the allegations made," Yap lamented.

"It has been a waste of time for everybody," said the former Serdang member of parliament.

mca snoop squad hearing 140508 sak cheng lum He said that he only attended the hearing today because "I respect the chairperson Dr Sak Cheng Lum ( photo ) and party veteran Michael Chen".

He added that the committee today agreed to convey his suggestion that members of the presidential council implicated in the snoop squad should abstain from any discussions and decision-making on the report's findings.

Yap also had caustic words for Ong and his brother Ka Chuan, also MCA secretary-general.

He said that they were attempting to undermine the efforts of the three-man committee by calling the existence of the snoop squad as baseless in their press statements.

Previously, in his testimony before the committee, Wong also named top party leaders Liow Tiong Lai and Wee Jack Seng as members of the secret group to snoop on party rivals allegedly with full knowledge of the party president.

Liow, who is MCA Youth chief, is health minister while Wee, the deputy youth and sports minister, is former political secretary to Ong. All of those named have denied their role in the snoop squad.

The committee has today wrapped its probe and is expected to submit a report to the presidential council in 10 days' time.