Fong quits Batu Gajah

One of DAP’s leading members of Parliament Fong Po Kuan today announced that she would not be contesting in her Batu Gajah seat in the coming general election.

In fact, she has decided not to contest in any other seat as well.

“My decision is final,” said Fong at a press conference held at the DAP Batu Gajah service center this morning.

“I am calling this press conference today to announce my decision that I am not offering myself as a candidate for any seat in this 12th general election,” she said as her shocked aides, supporters and reporters looked on.

She did not give any reasons for her decision at the press conference. However there are wide speculations that internal party turmoil was the reason behind her decision. And she alluded as much in her letter to the party to inform her decision.

She added that she had conveyed her decision to the party’s veteran leader Lim Kit Siang, who is also a member of DAP’s national committee on candidate selection.

“I had told Lim Kit Siang that I would furnish my reason for my decision to the party secretary general in writing,” she added.

She also revealed that party secretary general Lim Guan Eng had contacted her by telephone last night to inform her that she would be nominated to stand as a candidate in the Batu Gajah parliamentary constituency.

Impossible to serve effectively

However she added that she had emailed him this morning of her decision not to contest.

Copies of her email to Guan Eng were also distributed at the press conference.

It in she wrote: “It is a tough decision for me as DAP has become my second family and the people of Batu Gajah parliamentary constituency have been so special to me over the last eight years.”

She told Guan Eng that “development of internal party events in the DAP Perak over the last few years as well as currently” made it “impossible for me to continue serving effectively, efficiently and wholeheartedly”.

“Under such circumstances and in the best interest of all concerned, I have arrived at this unavoidable and difficult decision,” she said.

At the press conference, Fong also took the opportunity to thank the people of Batu Gajah for their support and confidence in her.

“I feel honoured and proud that I have been able to be their elected representative for the last eight years,” she added.

“I have always tried to give my best in terms of attending to their service needs as well as articulating their voices inside and outside Parliament. However, I apologise if there are areas or instances where I have disappointed them,” she said.

Fong also called upon all Malaysians to deny the Barisan Nasional its two-thirds majority in the coming general election which would be held on March 8.

Malaysiakini reported on Feb 15 that Fong was being pressured by the state leadership to relinquish the Batu Gajah seat and contest elsewhere. Apparently the party wants to let the Pantai Remis state representative Nga Kor Ming to contest in Batu Gajah.

Perak DAP chairperson Ngeh Koo Ham however denied forcing out Fong.

Her recommendation for Batu Gajah

However in her email to Guan Eng, Fong suggested that the party gave the seat to Pasir Pinji’s state representative Su Keong Siong.

She said that he was an ideal candidate for Batu Gajah seat due to “his dedication, being action oriented and sincerity in serving the party’s cause and the aspirations of the people”.

“Since 1999, we have been working as a team as he has been assisting me in providing services and sometimes, furnishing free legal work to the voters of the said constituency,” she added.

She added that she would personally assist him in the election campaign.

“Again, I hope the party will seriously consider him for the said seat for the interest of the constituents and the party,” she added.

Rumours of Fong not contesting in her Batu Gajah seat have been making its rounds for some weeks now and were further fuelled by her farewell message to her voters in her blog.

In her message dated Feb 14, Fong thanked her voters for their support for her.

“I would also like to apologise if I have done or said anything which hurt you during this two terms as your elected representative,” she added.

Her message drew comments from the readers of the blog, asking her to contest in the seat.

Fong became an overnight celebrity when she contested and won the Batu Gajah seat in her maiden attempt in 1999. She was only 26-years-old then.

She went on to retain the seat in 2004 by defeating the present MCA secretary general Ong Ka Chuan, with a higher majority.