Don't waste time digging up scandals, S'gor gov't told
Kuek Ser Kuang KengPublished: May 21, 2008 5:42 AM | Updated: May 21, 2008 8:14 AM
As the only MCA parliamentarian in Selangor, Ong Tee Keat is quick in learning the ropes as an opposition figure from his party in the Pakatan Rakyat-led state.
As the only MCA parliamentarian in Selangor, Ong Tee Keat is quick in learning the ropes as an opposition figure from his party in the Pakatan Rakyat-led state.
And it did not take him long to fire his first salvo at the state government by urging them not to play politics by just trying to expose the shortcomings and scandals of the previous BN government.
Instead, the newly appointed Selangor MCA chief urged the new state government to provide good governance.
"If you cannot provide good governance, but keep on harping on the scandals and wrongdoings of the previous government, this is not enough," he told Malaysiakini in an interview last week.
"You can expose scandals, but that must not be your only priority," added the Transport Minister.
However, Ong did not elaborate on which scandals or wrongdoings he was referring to.
Recruiting ‘incompetent' leaders
While being a ruling parliamentarian at federal level, Ong was confident of raising issues as an opposition in state level.
As a federal minister, he is defending the controversial Port Klang Free Zone issue. And at the same time he is lambasting the Selangor government for recruiting former Barisan National grassroots leaders back into the local government.
Two months after taking over the state administration, the Pakatan state government is still unable to reform the local government and village security and development committee (JKKK) in Selangor, charged Ong.
Instead, he said, they recruited those they once criticised as incompetent and corrupted grassroots leaders into the local administration.
"We know they need to recruit people to expand their team, but I saw them recruiting people who they once criticise harshly."
"When these people were in MCA, Umno and Gerakan, you said they are rotten apples. Will they turn over a new leaf because they join Pakatan? This is impossible," Ong added.
In the one-hour interview, the MCA national vice president shared his views in various issue.
Below are excerpts of the interview.
On how to become an effective state opposition
Ong said the first step will be to adjust the mentality of the grassroots before playing the role of opposition.
To him, opposition should not only focus on the mistakes of the ruling party but should also concentrate on the basic problems faced by constituents.
"For matters under the jurisdiction of federal government, we should have a role to play," he said.
On the ‘parallel government' by the state level by BN
"I can understand there is this political need. If Pakatan was in the BN situation, they would have done the same thing because they cannot allow the grassroots network to perish," he said.
"This is a political reality. However the pros and cons can be discussed as another issue."
On contradictions between Umno and MCA on the pig farm project
Ong thought this was an inevitable situation in an alliance but the two parties do not have to reach a consensus as this issue will be decided by Pakatan state government eventually.
"Eventually Umno must realise the political reality. If they continue to play up the issue, this will not only jeopardise the rapport between races, they will have to face the non-Muslim voters, who will judge them by their votes."
On how he survived the March 8 political tsunami
Talking about his strategy in winning by a majority of 2,961 votes, Ong revealed that the Pandan Umno division 'declared war' against him two years ago.
According to him, Umno division passed a resolution for two consecutive years, asking him to be 'banished' from the constituency because he refused to let the division to control part of his constituency allocation.
Since then Ong decided to 'walk my own way', meeting and serving his constituents directly without going through other BN machinery.
"So I have to be prepared. I did not pin any hope on them anymore. I gave up on them and made the decision to walk my own way."
"We are elected by voters from all races hence I have the responsibility to face them. Why should I go through middle man?"
Ong first contested the Ampang Jaya parliamentary seat in a by-election in 1989 and won. Since then he had held the seat for four terms before contesting and winning the newly created Pandan parliamentary seat in the 2004 general election.
He managed to defend Pandan in the recent election to become the sole MCA parliamentarian in Selangor.
And it did not take him long to fire his first salvo at the state government by urging them not to play politics by just trying to expose the shortcomings and scandals of the previous BN government.Instead, the newly appointed Selangor MCA chief urged the new state government to provide good governance.
"If you cannot provide good governance, but keep on harping on the scandals and wrongdoings of the previous government, this is not enough," he told Malaysiakini in an interview last week.
"You can expose scandals, but that must not be your only priority," added the Transport Minister.
However, Ong did not elaborate on which scandals or wrongdoings he was referring to.
Recruiting ‘incompetent' leaders
While being a ruling parliamentarian at federal level, Ong was confident of raising issues as an opposition in state level.
As a federal minister, he is defending the controversial Port Klang Free Zone issue. And at the same time he is lambasting the Selangor government for recruiting former Barisan National grassroots leaders back into the local government.
Two months after taking over the state administration, the Pakatan state government is still unable to reform the local government and village security and development committee (JKKK) in Selangor, charged Ong.
Instead, he said, they recruited those they once criticised as incompetent and corrupted grassroots leaders into the local administration."We know they need to recruit people to expand their team, but I saw them recruiting people who they once criticise harshly."
"When these people were in MCA, Umno and Gerakan, you said they are rotten apples. Will they turn over a new leaf because they join Pakatan? This is impossible," Ong added.
In the one-hour interview, the MCA national vice president shared his views in various issue.
Below are excerpts of the interview.
On how to become an effective state opposition
Ong said the first step will be to adjust the mentality of the grassroots before playing the role of opposition.
To him, opposition should not only focus on the mistakes of the ruling party but should also concentrate on the basic problems faced by constituents.
"For matters under the jurisdiction of federal government, we should have a role to play," he said.
On the ‘parallel government' by the state level by BN
"I can understand there is this political need. If Pakatan was in the BN situation, they would have done the same thing because they cannot allow the grassroots network to perish," he said.
"This is a political reality. However the pros and cons can be discussed as another issue."
On contradictions between Umno and MCA on the pig farm project
Ong thought this was an inevitable situation in an alliance but the two parties do not have to reach a consensus as this issue will be decided by Pakatan state government eventually.
"Eventually Umno must realise the political reality. If they continue to play up the issue, this will not only jeopardise the rapport between races, they will have to face the non-Muslim voters, who will judge them by their votes."
On how he survived the March 8 political tsunami
Talking about his strategy in winning by a majority of 2,961 votes, Ong revealed that the Pandan Umno division 'declared war' against him two years ago.
According to him, Umno division passed a resolution for two consecutive years, asking him to be 'banished' from the constituency because he refused to let the division to control part of his constituency allocation.
Since then Ong decided to 'walk my own way', meeting and serving his constituents directly without going through other BN machinery.
"So I have to be prepared. I did not pin any hope on them anymore. I gave up on them and made the decision to walk my own way."
"We are elected by voters from all races hence I have the responsibility to face them. Why should I go through middle man?"
Ong first contested the Ampang Jaya parliamentary seat in a by-election in 1989 and won. Since then he had held the seat for four terms before contesting and winning the newly created Pandan parliamentary seat in the 2004 general election.
He managed to defend Pandan in the recent election to become the sole MCA parliamentarian in Selangor.
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