theSun | MONDAY JULY 27 2009 9

news without borders

Jui Meng: BN will

only reform
after total defeat
FORMER MCA vice-presi-
dent Datuk Chua Jui Meng,
who quit the party on July
Press Digest
by Kong See Hoh
18, says the Barisan Nasional
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
(BN) will only reform after it
is totally defeated.
“I hope to see people’s wants to see changes in the
power propel Pakatan Rakyat country should learn to “forgive
(PR) to federal government rule and forget”, he said although he
as only when the BN govern- has attacked PAS in the past over
ment is toppled will its compo- the hudud law, he could still
nent parties change in order to work with their leaders.
rise again.” As a staunch Christian, Chua
Chua, who is now with Parti said he has broached the subject
Keadilan Rayat (PKR), said for of religion with PKR adviser
some, changes or reform will Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and
only come about after they have the latter has assured him that
lost all power, Oriental Daily the country will continue to
News reported yesterday. practise religious freedom.
But he added: “Frankly On working with DAP’s Lim
speaking, I don’t wish to see the Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng, he
demise of BN (component par- said he understood their stand as
ties), instead I want to see them opposition politicians and would
truly reformed”. not hold any grudge against
He pointed out that the Umno- them over their past remarks
led BN said it wanted to reform about him.
after it suffered a major setback Chua told the daily he did not
in the last general election in discount the possibility of con-
which it lost power in several testing the Bakri parliamentary
states, but to date “there are no seat again in the next general
real changes taking place”. election.
“Only when you have lost He said as a member, he
all the power will you treasure would toe the party line and
it and start to carry out reform,” if the PKR supreme council
he explained. decides that he should contest
On the Opposition front, Bakri, he would do as told and
Chua said the result of the recent give his best shot.
Manek Urai by-election was a Chua, 66, had been Bakri
good reminder to PAS over its MCA chief for 23 years and had
intention to work with Umno. held the parliamentary seat for
PAS should wake up to the re- 22 years. He was not nominated
ality that if it was not for Pakatan to contest in the general election
Rakyat (PR), it would have lost last year.
its traditional stronghold, he said Despite being criticised for
in an interview with Nanyang his earlier remark that political
Siang Pau. aide Teoh Beng Hock’s death
In the by-election on July has fuelled his cross-over to
14, PAS retained the seat with a PKR, he insisted that it was truly
slim 65-vote majority, compared the case.
with the 1,352-vote majority it
obtained in the general election Only when you
last year.
Nevertheless, he said he was have lost all
ready to work with PAS and the power will you
DAP and would not be affected
by their past grudges. treasure it and start to
Explaining that a leader who carry out reform.”

Reject any move

for EGM, says Tee
FEDERAL Territories MCA chairman Tan Sri Tee
Hock Seng is strongly against any move to call for Safe and
an extraordinary general meeting of the party, say-
ing, “if it is held, MCA’s reputation is finished”, Sin secure in
Chew Daily reported yesterday Ara
Addressing the Federal Territories MCA state Damansara
convention 2009 in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, he
urged party members not to leave it to “besieged” pg 11
party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat “to do
battle alone”.
In an interview with the daily earlier, Ong
disclosed that there was a move within the party
to oust him, and that he was “under siege” over
the PKFZ case.
There is talk again that an anti-Ong Tee Keat
faction was trying to drum up support for an EGM
to move a motion of no-confidence against Ong.
Tee, who is party treasurer-general, urged FT
MCA to stand solidly behind Ong and reject any
move to call for an EGM.
He said the party could not afford to waste
its energy and resources fighting enemies from
within.