Ong Tee Kiat Made It

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- MCA vice-president Datuk Ong Tee Keat Saturday won the MCA presidential race after defeating former vice-president Datuk Seri Chua Jui Meng at the party polls held at the MCA headquarters at Wisma MCA here.
Ong, who is also Transport Minister, polled 1,429 votes against 917 votes garnered by Chua, a former Health Minister.
Loud cheers from Ong's supporters greeted the outcome of one of the most intense battles in party history at 9.45pm tonight, some seven hours after the 2,378 delegates cast their ballots to pick the MCA national leaders.
The presidency fell vacant after incumbent Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting did not seek re-election.
For the deputy presidency, party secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, the elder brother of outgoing president (Ong Ka Ting), lost his battle for promotion to former Health Minister
Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who resigned from all party and cabinet posts after a video tape of him in a compromising position with his girlfriend was made public late last year.
Dr Chua polled 1,115 votes while Ong obtained 1,001, in the win described by political pundits as an upset.
The other two contenders in the race were Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai who got 209 votes and Lee Hack Teik, a former state assemblyman, who managed only 10 votes.
The deputy presidency fell vacant after incumbent Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy declined to seek re-election.
The top two positions are considered important at this juncture, especially after the party suffered a humiliating defeat in the March 8 general election, which saw MCA winning only 46 state and parliamentary seats compared to the 106 it had secured in the 2004 polls.
Meanwhile, in the four seat vice-president race former Wanita chief Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen, created party history after she was elected as the first woman veep in the party's 59-year history.
Others who made the cut were Health Minister and former Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, Tan Kok Hong from Johor and Lumut division chief Datuk Kong Cho Ha, who topped the list of 25 elected CC members at the last party elections.
Dr Ng polled 1,659 votes while Liow obtained 1,725 votes with Kong garnering 1,798 votes and Tan 1,329 votes.
Other contestants in the race were incumbent Datuk Seri Fong Chan Onn (883 votes), Deputy Home Minister and Alor Setar Member of Parliament Datuk Chor Chee Heung (1,233 votes), former veep and former Serdang Member of Parliament Datuk Yap Pian Hon (445 votes) and Kuala Langat MCA division vice chairman Lim Teck Chong (268 votes).
Meanwhile delegates to the assembly also picked 25 MCA Central Committee delegates.
They were Lee Wei Kiat, Wong Foon Meng, Tan Chai Ho, Tan Cheng Liang, Dr Hou Kok Chung, Lee Chee Leong, Gan Ping Shou, Yu Chok Tow, Wong Nai Chee, Lee Sing Chooi, Wee Jeck Seng, Gan Tian Loo, Dr Yeow Chai Thiam, Chong Itt Chew, Hoh Khai Mun, Ti Lian Ker, Liew Yuen Keong, Wong Mook Leong, Paul Kong Sing Chu, Edward Khoo Keok Hai, Tee Siew Kiong, Loh Seng Kok, Wong Siong Hwee, Dr Por Choo Chor and Loke Yuen Yow.
Ong Tee Keat, newly elected MCA president

What the winners and losers say

MCPX

For me I don’t want to say much. The important thing now is that we must immediately implement our plans to transform the party.The only way to repay the support given by the delegates is through immediate hard work.

Are you happy with the lineup?

All of us must accept that this is the decision of the party

On the election of new deputy president, Dr Chua Soi Lek

The important thing was that there were no personal attacks, but merely a difference in opinion.

Chua Jui Meng, losing president candidate

Well, I tried again. I offered them my agenda and vision but they didn’t want it. That’s it. That’s life.

Does this mean your career has come to an end?

Politics will always be in my blood. There is no end to politics.

What do you think of your rival’s performance?

I congratulate him. It was a very transparent fight. The delegates wants his vision. All the best.

How do you read today’s result?

They prefer the old ways. They don’t want a new direction for the party and the nation which I amply illustrated and articulated very clearly in my agenda. Obviously, the majority of the delegates don’t want that.

Dr Chua Soi Lek, newly elected MCA deputy president:

I am confident that the new leadership will not disappoint MCA nor the Chinese community. I will work with the party president and the central committee members to ensure that the party is even more united and seek more for the Chinese community.

I have confidence that I can work with the president and the new central committee. We hope to reinvent and project a new image for MCA to fit the post March 8 post-election scenario.

I always had confidence in the wisdom of the delegates. They know how to differentiate between my public performance and my private life.

Most importantly, after the party elections we must ensure the unity and stability of the party. During party elections, a lot things were said. After the elections, we must forget our differences to ensure we can reinvent the party efficiently.

Ong Ka Chuan, losing deputy president candidate

There will be a winner and a loser. So this is not unexpected. Anyone who is interested in contest must be prepared to win or lose.

Does it mean that a Cabinet post does not guarantee a win in the party?

Seems that way.

Do you think that you lost due to the claims that you are in the ‘Ong Dynasty’?

You cannot say that. There are more than 2,000 delegates. What they think, you can’t really tell.

Do you think a ‘tsunami’ is happening in MCA?

I don’t think so. It is quiet balanced, particularly if you look at the central committee (lineup). Tsunami means it would be one sided. We’ve got a balance of old and young. It’s a fair reflection of our age groups.

Dr Ng Yen Yen, newly elected MCA vice president

It is a watershed outcome. The (glass) ceiling has been broken. It takes a lot of hard work. As long as we work hard, we will get support from our male comrades.

Kong Cho Ha, newly elected MCA vice president

I was also voted in as the central committee in the last election with the highest vote. I have said before that everyone is equal, therefore I think that the four vice president will have equal standing.

Those who are not voted in are due to the limited positions. I think they are also capable leaders and I hope they will continue to work for the party.

tunku : we hope the new mca leadership will help strengthen BN and stop the finger pointing game and get back to work.mca with the rest of component parties must work hard to ensure BN survival in the next GE and to ensure the stability and prosperity of our nation.i am quite surprised at chua soi lek's victory,the delegates seems not interested in his private affairs.i hope he is not appointed as minister again.we don't want to have a minister with his sex dvd going around in the streets.