Thesun 2009-08-17 Page01 Tee Keat Faces Members

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Tee Keat faces members [email protected]

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat yesterday faced 700 grassroots leaders at a closed-door briefing at party headquarters ostensibly to answer questions on an alleged RM10 million donation by tycoon politician Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing. Ong declined to reveal what exactly he told the party division leaders, secretaries and treasurers, saying that his message was strictly for their ears only. He, however, described the meeting as interactive as “the members had posed some good and sharp questions to the party leadership”. Asked if the members were convinced by his explanation, he said he would leave it to them to say if they accepted his explanation or not. He also disclosed that he has yet to be approached by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to facilitate investigations into Tiong’s allegation. Ong also declined to comment on Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s advice that both he and Tiong, who is Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd (KDSB) chief executive officer, Bintulu MP and Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club head, should “not wash their dirty linen in public”. The transport minister had last week denied an allegation that he had taken a RM10 million “loan” from Tiong and lodged a police report for criminal defamation against Tiong, and demanded an apology from him, within a week. The MACC had questioned Tiong for about six hours over the issue. He confirmed to China Press that he was questioned on Friday but declined to give details. He had also been questioned by MACC on Thursday, following the release of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) special task force’s report on Monday that KDSB, as the project turnkey developer, had allegedly made excessive claims for work done totalling up to RM1 billion. In response to Ong’s query on Thursday, as to whether the RM10 million was “a loan, donation, or bribe?” Tiong was quoted by Sin Chew Daily on Saturday as saying the money was “a donation” to MCA for the party’s

divisional activities. tion and will give full cooperation to it. Tiong’s statement to a vernacular newspaper He claimed that a certain individual Wong said, however, that the party can on Saturday that Wanita MCA chief Datin had asked him to help Ong, who was party accept donations as a form of income under Paduka Chew Mei Fun had also received vice-president then, and MCA as he had the Article 137 of its constitution, adding that the donations from him, after she criticised his political influence and network, and could help clause does not specify the method or amount allegation against Ong, as a means to divert rejuvenate the party. of donations. attention from the PKFZ fiasco involving his Tiong said Ong had not asked him for a Meanwhile, Tee said there was no need for company. specific sum of donation and he came up with Tiong to tell the whole world about donations Chew has since also responded that the the RM10 million figure on his own. he made for welfare purposes. RM30,000 donation received two years ago He said that if he knew things would end He explained that MCA usually plays the from Tiong was for the construction of the up this way, he would have insisted on issuing role of a middleman to help raise funds for Selangor and Federal Territory senior citizens cheques instead of giving cash. charitable bodies, and that such donations are welfare centre costing RM3 million. Meanwhile, MCA secretary-general Datuk given directly to the charities without going Wong Foon Meng yesterday said party through the party. members who attended the briefing, gave full He was commenting on support to Ong and pledged to defend him in facing the issue. He said all questions regarding the PKFZ scandal ior operations officer Mohd request and that the plane TAIPING: A British pilot and died at the scene. and donation, Sobri Abdullah was at an altitude of 200m He said Robert, in his was killed yesterday when posed to the said fire and when it suddenly plunged the plane he was test-fly- 50s, was testing the short party leadership rescue per- to the ground and erupted ing crashed and burst into take-off and landing air taxi were answered sonnel were into a ball of fire. flames shortly after take- dubbed Jetpod developed in clearly by the Fire and rescue personon stand-by off from the Tekah airstrip Britain, belonging to Syaleaders. s i n c e nel provided emergency rikat Patimas Technology around 12.30pm. At a press 8.30am at response but could not save Taiping deputy police Centre, when the incident conference later, the airstrip Robert, he said, adding that chief Supt Syed Abdul happened. MCA treasureron the investigations had sarted to Taiping Fire and Wahab Abdul Majid said general Tan Sri c o m - determine the cause of the Michael Robert suffered R e s c u e Tee Hock Seng p a n y ’ s crash. – Bernama severe burns and injuries s e n said the party had not received any donation during his tenureship since November last year. “The party is financially stable, so the allegation of RM10 million donation made by Tiong is baseless. “Party leaders are not encouraged to accept donations in their personal capacity and all donations to the party must be made directly to the party,” he said, adding that the party welcomed MACC to conduct an investiga-

Test pilot killed in crash

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