PUTRAJAYA: About 500 Tanjung Malim constituents staged a peaceful gathering here today to urge Barisan Nasional’s (BN) top leadership to reconsider its decision to drop incumbent Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan in the 14th general election (GE14).
The group’s representative, Abdul Rahim Malkan, said that Ong, who is also the International Trade and Industry Minister II, is the best candidate for the Tanjung Malim Parliamentary seat, especially since he won it twice.
“I hope BN’s top leaders will listen to us, as it is our right to voice out what we want... We want a leader who is close to us. We are not saying the person who has been named is not good, but Ong is closer to us.
“He is an attentive MP. Why must he be replaced or dropped from defending his seat? Many are disappointed by the decision, because we appreciate his commitment to develop Tanjung Malim.
“Ong is a friendly leader who treats everyone equally. Although he is an MCA representative, he looks after the welfare of all races – the Chinese, Indians, Malays and Orang Asli. No one is sidelined,” Abdul Rahim said when met at Dataran Putra.
Perak MCA chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon, who is also the Perak executive councillor, was named as Ong’s replacement to contest the Tanjung Malim Parliamentary seat.
Ong, 64, was a four-term Perak state assemblyman for the Chenderiang seat from 1986 to 2004.
In the 2004 general election, he contested the Batu Gajah Parliamentary seat, but lost to DAP’s Fong Poh Kuan.