MCA president Ong Tee Keat today told his deputy Dr Chua Soi Lek not to twist and turn facts when making statements.

ong tee keat in penang 091108 Asked to comment on Chua's remarks that he was not given any significant portfolio in the party, Ong said that as head of the government affairs monitoring bureau, Chua was holding a significant portfolio.

"Don't twist and turn. That is my advice. Whoever wants to say or make public statements, don't twist and turn," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

Ong, who is also transport minister, said Chua's portfolio was on the list when he announced the key office bearers on Tuesday and he had even elaborated on the significance of the bureau.

After the announcement of the key office bearers, Chua was reported to have said that he was sidelined and apologised to the grassroots members should he fail to perform well because of the limited space given.

Asked whether the replacement of its minister and two deputy ministers who had lost in the party elections last month would be discussed in the cabinet meeting tomorrow, Ong said it was unlikely.

No cabinet post either?

In an interview with Malaysiakini today, Chua Soi Lek predicted that he will not be given a minister’s post in the imminent cabinet reshuffle, despite his successful comeback to active politics in the party polls held last month.

chua soi lek interview 131108 03 "I don't want my leaders to tell me that it is Prime Minister (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) who doesn't accept me, when they (MCA leaders) don’t even submitted my name.

"From the way the Chinese media have reported it, I know they (party leaders) are going to use this (justification) so I want to pre-empt it," he said.

"If I discover that they have not submitted my name to the PM and yet say it's the PM or Umno who don't accept me, then (they) are bluffing.

"If the MCA leadership can bluff even the deputy president, they can also bluff the Chinese community," he added.

Abdullah is expected to announce a minor cabinet reshuffle this month following the MCA elections, which saw a minister and two deputy ministers from the party losing in the party polls.

By convention, Ong - as head of the party - will recommend names to the prime minister as to who should fill the ministerial posts allocated to the MCA. However, he has thus far kept silent on his choice of candidates.

Speculation is rife that Chua, 61, who had abruptly quit his government and party posts in January for being embroiled in a sex scandal, may not be given a cabinet post despite creating an upset of sorts by winning the deputy presidency.