Upko says cannot keep quiet regarding Ong as MCA crisis affecting BN
Published on: Saturday, August 29, 2009
Kota Kinabalu: Upko became the first Barisan Nasional party to suggest that MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat temporarily relinquish his duties both as Transport Minister and party president.Upko Treasurer-General, Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh, said he should do so until he is cleared by the court over allegations that he received RM10 million from a contractor in the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project. He said Ong should let another senior MCA leader take over even the MCA President's post, until the dust settles.
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"When a man claims innocence, he should temporarily relinquish his official duty until his name is cleared. That would be a gentleman's move and in line with ethics," he said. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib and several Umno leaders had said the MCA leadership tussle was an internal matter for MCA to resolve and would not interfere. Commenting on the crisis affecting the MCA leadership on Friday, Mojigoh said as an MP and a member of a component party, the issue had affected the entire Barisan Nasional (BN) Government. Hence, he felt it was not wrong for other BN component members to also present their views. "MCA is also a component party of BN É the interest of the BN government is of prime importance, meaning it is also the interest of the rakyat," he said.Mojigoh said he was not interested in the internal affairs of MCA because what concerned the people was the image of the Government. Nonetheless, he said the MCA's internal problems had been a hot topic among the people in the coffee shops.
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According to him, the opposition had been using the issue to smear the good image of the BN Government such as the PKFZ controversy which had been dragged into Parliament.It also resulted in many police reports being lodged, smear campaign in the recent Permatang Pasir by-election. Despite clarifications from the BN it could not convince the electorates, he said.
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"The credibility of leaders from the component parties has been affected and it also somehow affected the BN candidate in the by-election," he said. Mojigoh also questioned the rationale behind Ong's move to seek opinions on whether MCA's role as a BN component is still relevant in his blog site. "I mean what was in his (Ong) mind when he decided to open to opinion givers. Was that move of help to the BN?," he asked.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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