MCA appoints party sec-gen as coordinator for by-election

Monday December 1, 2008 - staronline

By LEE YUK PENG

KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA has appointed secretary-general Datuk Wong Foon Meng as its coordinator for the Kuala Terengganu by-election, says president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.

“There will be a two-tier preparation, one at the local level and another at the federal level,’’ he added.

The local level, comprising the Kuala Terengganu MCA division and the state liaison committee, would run operations involving the local area.

Happy occasion: (From second left) Sim, Ong and Selangor and Federal Territory Chung Shan Association president Datuk Koo Yuen Kim applauding the launch of the association’s new building at Dataran Pandan Prima in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Wong, as coordinator, will oversee operations at the federal level, mobilising grassroots from all states to help in the by-election.

“Coming from Kuala Terengganu, Wong has an advantage (as he knows the area well),’’ said Ong, who said he would visit the parliamentary constituency.

“The MCA will swing into action right after the Election Commission announces the date for the by-election,’’ he said.

The Kuala Terengganu parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death on Friday of Datuk Razali Ismail, who was also deputy education minister.

Ong had earlier launched the new building for The Selangor and Federal Territory Chung Shan Asso-ciation at Dataran Pandan Prima yesterday.

Also present were Associated Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia president Tan Sri William Cheng, Chinese education activist Datuk Sim Mow Yu, representatives from Chung Shan in China, and Federation of Kwang Tung Associations Malaysia president Datuk K.K. Lee.

Ong, who is also Transport Minister, said the ministry was monitoring the closure of Suvarnabhumi internatio­nal airport in Bangkok very closely as the situation changed every hour.

On the issue of Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy), Ong reiterated that the MCA would not agree to dominance by one party.

“There is still room to voice a party’s stand within Barisan Nasional,” he said.