DAP national publicity secretary Ronnie Liu today demanded an explanation from MCA President Ong Ka Ting as to how the latter came to appoint an alleged triad chief as the chairperson of a Penang MCA branch.

Liu said the revelations that Ong was privy to MCA Gurney Drive chairperson Jackie Chan's 'past record' as a former detainee under the Emergency Ordinance for drug trafficking has raised disturbing questions over Ong's intentions.

"We want Ong Ka Ting to explain why Chan was accepted as a member of MCA and appointed the Gurney Drive branch if Ong already knew Chan's 'colourful' record," he told malaysiakini.

Liu said the move appears to have contravened a Registrar of Societies rule that persons who have been declared bankrupt and have a criminal record cannot be allowed as members in political parties.

Common rule

"This rule is common to all political parties. Every party should likewise have a clause in the party constitution blocking acceptance of people with criminal records. It is very peculiar that MCA still allowed Chan in (as member)," he said.

Controversy has once against erupted in the MCA after the Malay Mail published two front-page stories consecutively (yesterday and today) on the links between Ong and Chan, who is said to be the leader of the notorious Sio Sam Ong (Three Little Emperors) triad.

Last Wednesday, police issued a nationwide alert for the arrest of Chan and his right-hand man, Chee Kok Loong. Both men are now fugitives.

According to the Malay Mail, the Sio Sam Ong secret society is linked to a number of crimes, including despatching hired killers to storm a pre-wedding ceremony and massacre six people in Sungai Petani in 1992.

Ong was reported to have contacted the newspaper yesterday and admitted that he was aware of Chan's record.

Not baseless afterall

Meanwhile, Liu said the latest press reports showed that the claims by MCA Youth chief Ong Tee Keat (photo) earlier this year that the party was infiltrated by triads were "not entirely baseless".

"The Sio Sam Ong is one of the most influential triads in the northern parts of the country. Ong had denied knowing about Chan's background initially but it was then already hard to believe that Ong, who was a former deputy home minister, would not know about such a personality as Chan.

"Ong should apologise to the Chinese community as a whole. By allowing these people to lead party branches, he acted as though he supported and endorsed them. He has misplaced the trust of the people," he said.

Liu said the position taken by Penang MCA chief Wong Kam Hoong not to sack Chan is also inexplicable.

"The ROS rules are very clear. I am very surprised that Wong said he will not take any action until Chan is proven guilty," he said.

According to another report in the Malay Mail, it was pointed out that the MCA constitution states that members who commit crimes will be disqualified.

However, Wong was reported as saying that Jackie Chan would remain as a member of the MCA and that his membership and position would still be recognised unless he is proven guilty by a court of law.

Exorbitant sum

On another matter, Liu said DAP is also unhappy with the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) for spending and "exorbitant" amount of money to purchase official attires for its 24 councillors and 12 department heads.

"Earlier, it was announced by MPK president Mohd Sharif Yusof that the cost for the uniforms was RM400,000. Now that the issue has become controversial, he suddenly halves it to RM200,000. Nevertheless, this is still a large sum of money," he said.

The issue of the 'uniforms' had raised a fresh brew as the council had earlier planned for all officials, regardless of race, to don a baju kurung (for the women) and a baju Melayu and songkok (for the men).

Following protests by MCA, Gerakan and MIC councillors, the city council backed down although Selangor Menteri Besar Mohd Khir Mohd Toyo pressed ahead saying that he supported the MPK move.

"There is no such thing as a national costume in Malaysia (for all races). There are the Malay, Chinese, Tamil, Kadazan costumes for example," Liu stressed.

"We want a retraction from Mohd Khir because his insistence that the Malay costume is the national costume shows no respect for the culture of other races," he said.

Liu also urged all non-Malay councillors not to bow to Mohd Khir's pressure and stand firm against the use of the costumes.

To date, only one MIC councillor among a group of non-Malay councillors, has consented to wearing the uniform.