Witnesses differ over Ong vs Tiong RM10mil case
Kow Kwan YeePublished: Aug 23, 2013 3:05 PM | Updated: Aug 23, 2013 3:18 PM
Discrepancies have been found in the testimonies of two witnesses over the case involving a whopping RM10 million ‘donation’ for MCA which was transferred by Bintulu MP Tiong King Sing to the party’s former president Ong Tee Keat four years ago, the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard today.
Discrepancies have been found in the testimonies of two witnesses over the case involving a whopping RM10 million ‘donation’ for MCA which was transferred by Bintulu MP Tiong King Sing to the party’s former president Ong Tee Keat four years ago, the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard today.
The two witnesses, Tiong and Ong's ex-bodyguard Tan Hew Huat, told the court different versions of the story when testifying on the time that the money had been transferred and the number of fruit boxes that had cash packed inside.
Tiong, who is a plaintiff of the civil case, told the court today that during the first occasion which happened between May and June 2008 - at Hilton Hotel in Petaling Jaya - where he loaded RM5 million cash that was packed in two fruit boxes into a car belonging to a friend of Tee Keat’s ex-bodyguard.
He said he had packed the cash at his office located in Petaling Jaya, with the assistance of his aide.
After packing the notes, Tiong (right) added that he had put the boxes into his car boot and arrived at the hotel with his aide and another man at about 7.25pm.
He said Tee Keat arrived at the hotel by 8pm and they headed to a Japanese restaurant for dinner.
As they finished dinner and had been walking out from the lobby, Tiong said he then carried out the fruit boxes and put that in another car, while Tee Keat was standing in front of the lobby witnessing the process.
Tee Keat’s ex-bodyguard Tan Yew Huat is the second witness, and whose testimonial had discrepancies with Tiong’s.
Tan said he had fetched Tee Keat and reached the hotel by 7.30pm, not 8pm as claimed by Tiong.
When cross-examined by the counsel, Tan noted that he did not remember how many fruit boxes had been carried out but he said perhaps more than two.
“I was standing with defendant (Tee Keat) at the lobby entrance, which is some 20 feet away from the place they loaded the boxes. I didn’t see the content of the boxes,” said Tan.
Tee Keat and Tiong sue each other
Tiong was testifying in the trial of inter-partes hearing between Tee Keat and himself over the RM10 million ‘donation’ to MCA.
On Aug 24, 2009, Tee Keat - who is also a former transport minister - filed the suit against Tiong, claiming that Tiong had issued a defamatory statement about giving him RM10 million, which was published in Malaysiakini on Aug 12.
Despite Tee Keat seeking for RM500 million in the suit, Tiong stood by his words and countersued Ong for the denial, seeking RM10 million in damages.
This is the first day for the case to be brought to open court for hearing, with Tiong as the first witness to testify.
Cross-examined by Tee Keat’s counsel Chan Tse Yuen, Tiong said the then MCA deputy president Chan Kong Choy had approached and asked him to help Ong, who was the then vice-president.
“Chan asked me to help him (Tee Keat) because he is the lone ranger in the party.
“Personally I don’t like him (Tee Keat), but for the sake of uniting the Chinese community and strengthening MCA, I have to work with him,” noted Tiong.
“That time MCA needed money. I can understand, we are politicians; without money, many things cannot move,” he added.
When queried on why didn’t Tiong deal with Ong Ka Ting - the then MCA president - instead of Tee Keat (left) who was lower in the party hierarchy, Tiong answered: “That time the leaders are retiring and everybody knows that he (Tee Keat) is running for president.”
Asked by the counsel on why there had been no written record to prove the existence of the RM5 million cash, Tiong said he is low-profile and that he does not write records after making donations most of the time.
Tan - who had served Tee Keat for over 10 years - further testified that he had been sacked by Tee Keat suddenly a few years ago.
To a suggestion posted by the counsel if he were here to testify against Tee Keat as a form of revenge, Tan disagreed.
Tan said he was sacked after allowing reporters to enter Tee Keat’s house for the purposes of interviewing and photographing, soon after the latter’s defeat in the 2010 MCA election.
“Although Tee Keat gave full cooperation to the reporters, he then blamed me for letting them (into his house) and violated his privacy,” he lamented.
The hearing before High Court judge SM Komathy Suppiah will be continued on Sept 10.
The two witnesses, Tiong and Ong's ex-bodyguard Tan Hew Huat, told the court different versions of the story when testifying on the time that the money had been transferred and the number of fruit boxes that had cash packed inside.
Tiong, who is a plaintiff of the civil case, told the court today that during the first occasion which happened between May and June 2008 - at Hilton Hotel in Petaling Jaya - where he loaded RM5 million cash that was packed in two fruit boxes into a car belonging to a friend of Tee Keat’s ex-bodyguard.
He said he had packed the cash at his office located in Petaling Jaya, with the assistance of his aide.After packing the notes, Tiong (right) added that he had put the boxes into his car boot and arrived at the hotel with his aide and another man at about 7.25pm.
He said Tee Keat arrived at the hotel by 8pm and they headed to a Japanese restaurant for dinner.
As they finished dinner and had been walking out from the lobby, Tiong said he then carried out the fruit boxes and put that in another car, while Tee Keat was standing in front of the lobby witnessing the process.
Tee Keat’s ex-bodyguard Tan Yew Huat is the second witness, and whose testimonial had discrepancies with Tiong’s.
Tan said he had fetched Tee Keat and reached the hotel by 7.30pm, not 8pm as claimed by Tiong.
When cross-examined by the counsel, Tan noted that he did not remember how many fruit boxes had been carried out but he said perhaps more than two.
“I was standing with defendant (Tee Keat) at the lobby entrance, which is some 20 feet away from the place they loaded the boxes. I didn’t see the content of the boxes,” said Tan.
Tee Keat and Tiong sue each other
Tiong was testifying in the trial of inter-partes hearing between Tee Keat and himself over the RM10 million ‘donation’ to MCA.
On Aug 24, 2009, Tee Keat - who is also a former transport minister - filed the suit against Tiong, claiming that Tiong had issued a defamatory statement about giving him RM10 million, which was published in Malaysiakini on Aug 12.
Despite Tee Keat seeking for RM500 million in the suit, Tiong stood by his words and countersued Ong for the denial, seeking RM10 million in damages.
This is the first day for the case to be brought to open court for hearing, with Tiong as the first witness to testify.
Cross-examined by Tee Keat’s counsel Chan Tse Yuen, Tiong said the then MCA deputy president Chan Kong Choy had approached and asked him to help Ong, who was the then vice-president.
“Chan asked me to help him (Tee Keat) because he is the lone ranger in the party.
“Personally I don’t like him (Tee Keat), but for the sake of uniting the Chinese community and strengthening MCA, I have to work with him,” noted Tiong.
“That time MCA needed money. I can understand, we are politicians; without money, many things cannot move,” he added.When queried on why didn’t Tiong deal with Ong Ka Ting - the then MCA president - instead of Tee Keat (left) who was lower in the party hierarchy, Tiong answered: “That time the leaders are retiring and everybody knows that he (Tee Keat) is running for president.”
Asked by the counsel on why there had been no written record to prove the existence of the RM5 million cash, Tiong said he is low-profile and that he does not write records after making donations most of the time.
Tan - who had served Tee Keat for over 10 years - further testified that he had been sacked by Tee Keat suddenly a few years ago.
To a suggestion posted by the counsel if he were here to testify against Tee Keat as a form of revenge, Tan disagreed.
Tan said he was sacked after allowing reporters to enter Tee Keat’s house for the purposes of interviewing and photographing, soon after the latter’s defeat in the 2010 MCA election.
“Although Tee Keat gave full cooperation to the reporters, he then blamed me for letting them (into his house) and violated his privacy,” he lamented.
The hearing before High Court judge SM Komathy Suppiah will be continued on Sept 10.
View Comments0