JOHOR BARU: The bickering and dirt has begun to surface as the MCA divisional election draws near.

Just four days from the elections, a construction company director has dug up a six-year-old case which may implicate the credibility of a candidate contesting a division Youth chairman's post on Sunday.

K.C. Tey, 46, claimed that the candidate, together with five other men, went to his office in Taman Johor Jaya on Feb 5, 2002 over a financial dispute.

He alleged that they beat him up, ordered him to undress and took photographs of him in the nude.

Tey said his younger brother and secretary were in the office at the time of the incident.
All the assailants, except the division youth chairman candidate, were arrested, charged with rioting and fined RM2,000 each.

Tey said the photographs were surrendered to the police.

Speaking to reporters yesterday in the presence of MCA Tebrau division member Chong Chee Hua, Tey said he had repeatedly asked the police why the sixth person was not arrested.

"They keep saying he could not be located.

"It was only recently, when I read in local dailies, that I found the very same person is contesting for one of the 26 MCA youth divisional chairman posts in Johor.

"Even his photograph appeared in the newspapers. I am sure the police know what to do on Sunday."

Tey added that the candidacy of his alleged assailant would cast a shadow over MCA's integrity and worse if he was elected.

Chong, who is also Tey's counsel, said the assailants should be charged with assault with the intent to outrage modesty, and putting a person in fear of injury so as to commit extortion.

He said his client sustained head injuries after the assault and was on medical leave for 17 days.

"My client told me that the assailants had even threatened to distribute his nude photographs," he said.