theSun | TUESDAY OCTOBER 20 2009 7

news without borders

Inside story: Ong

forced to sack Chua
NEWLY-elected MCA Although Ong has not
deputy president Datuk
Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Youth Press Digest made public the “inside
story”, a supporter pointed
chairman Datuk Dr Wee by Kong See Hoh out that Liow, Wee and
Ka Siong and Wanita chief newsdesk@thesundaily.com Chew were among Ong’s
Datin Paduka Chew Mei right-hand men who
Fun had insisted on sacking former deputy pushed for Chua’s sacking and this was the
president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek. untold truth that Ong had referred to.
This is the inside story that party president The supporter said Ong has found himself
Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat threatened to ex- in his current predicament all because he is
pose at the central committee (CC) meeting straightforward and too trusting of people
last Thursday when some of the members who were close to him.
asked him to quit his post, Nanyang Siang He also said although more than 20 CC
Pau reported yesterday. members signed the joint appeal to Ong to
A source said the trio were adamant that step down at the meeting, a number of them
Chua be sacked and therefore Ong should had since told the president they regretted
not be the only one to face the consequences their action.
of the outcome of the Oct 10 extraordinary In response, Liow told the daily the deci-
general meeting. sion to sack Chua came from the disciplinary
The source said Ong had decided to fire board and was debated and upheld by the
Chua because he was influenced and egged presidential council and the CC.
on by those close to him. He denied any claim that he, Wee and
The source told Nanyang that at the CC Chew were the main persons behind Ong
meeting, an angry Ong told members asking decision to sack Chua.
him to step down not to force him to reveal He said the finger should not be pointed
the “inside story”. at the three of them as it (the decision to sack
It was learnt that Ong had silenced his and later suspend Chua) was a collective
detractors with the threat. decision of the CC.

Chinese premier to visit Malaysia next month

DEPUTY Foreign Minister Datuk
Lee Chee Leong says Chinese
President Hu Jintao will visit
Malaysia next month but the
exact date is yet to be fixed.
Hu is visiting Malaysia at
the invitation of Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak
who made his three-day official
visit to China in June.
Lee told China Press the
exact date and itinerary of
Hu’s visit are being firmed up.
He was commenting on talk
that the Chinese premier will
be visiting Malaysia on Nov 8
and 9. This will be Hu’s first
official visit to Malaysia since
becoming the president of
China in 2003.
He visited Malaysia as the
vice-president in 2002.
Malaysia-China Friendship
Association secretary Tan Kai
Hee said the association, to-
gether with Hua Zong (Federa-
tion of Chinese Associations of
Malaysia), Associated Chinese
Chambers of Commerce and In-
dustry, Malaysia China Business
Council and Malaysia-China
Chamber of Commerce, will
host a dinner for Najib and Hu.

Fishermen appeal for foreign workers

by Meena L. Ramadas He added that the young Choy, many fishermen have
newsdesk@thesundaily.com people are not interested in been arrested for hiring illegal
working as fishermen and those workers.
KUALA LUMPUR: Fishermen in the trade have had to hire Working permits applied by
from 24 fishing villages in Sabak foreign workers illlegally. fishermen from Zone A and B
Bernam, Selangor are appealing “They (young locals) are not have been denied by the Agri-
to the federal government to interested because they have cultural Ministry while Zone C
approve working permits for to risk their lives for about fishermen are allowed to hire
foreign workers to work in the RM1,000 a month,” said Chong foreign labour; the ministry
fishing industry. at the MCA headquarters. could not be reached for im-
More than 600 fisher- Chong, who is also special mediate comment.
men from Sungai Besar and adviser to Home Minister Datuk Zone A fishermen are al-
Sekinchan are facing a critical Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, lowed to fish less than five
manpower shortage as the added that the risks include nautical miles from the shore
Agriculture Ministry continues heavy storms, pirates and while Zone B fishermen are al-
to deny applications for permits governmental enforcement for lowed to fish between 5 and 12
for foreign workers. illegal foreign labour. nautical miles from the shore.
MCA Public Service and “To date, there have been Zone C fishermen are allowed to
Complaints Department head more than 50 cases of fisher- hire foreign labour as deep sea
Datuk Michael Chong said yes- men being attacked by pirates fishing is conducted 12 nautical
terday the fishermen have been since last year,” he said. miles and more from the shore.
facing this problem for the past According to Sekinchan Law said the foreign workers
10 years. Farmers Unit chairman Law Kok of Zone C are only allowed at
sea and at the port.
“They can go to any country
but they cannot step foot in-
Maca, Interpol ink memo land,” he said.
on anti-corruption He also said the dwindling
workforce is taking a toll on the
PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy (Maca) fishermen’s livelihoods as they
and Interpol yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding are struggling to pay off bank
to establish and strengthen collaborative efforts on anti-corrup- loans.
tion and related training activities. “A fishing boat itself cost
The memorandum was signed between Interpol’s Police anywhere between RM500,000
Training and Development director Dale Sheehan and Maca’s and RM800,000,” he said. “If the
director, acting deputy commissioner Samarajoo Manikam. shortage of manpower persists,
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) chief the price of fish will increase.”
commissioner Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan said the Chong said he will liaise with
memorandum would increase the capacity and institutional the Human Resource Ministry,
building between the parties in providing effective and modern the Agriculture Ministry and the
anti-corruption and related studies, research and training. Home Ministry on this matter.
“This will also create and promote a formal channel of com- The fishing villages in Selan-
munication in order to facilitate a secure and rapid exchange of gor contribute more than 20%
ideas and information,” he said at the ceremony. of the total country’s supply of
Sheehan and Ahmad Said both agreed that corruption was fish.
no longer a local matter but had become a global issue with the Sungai Besar and Sekinchan
advent of globalisation and a borderless world. – Bernama are the biggest fish producing
areas in Selangor.