New evidence on MCA snoop squad case arrives at doorstep

PETALING JAYA: The MCA snoop squad case should be reopened by the party’s presidential council in light of “new evidence” that literally arrived at the doorstep of Datuk Theng Book’s office.

The Puchong division vice-chairman said he received three volumes of the MCA investigation panel report on the existence of a “Three-Man Secret Committee” dated June 10, 2008 outside his office in a box about two weeks ago.

He said that after studying the books, he realised that there were elements which corroborated with MCA veteran Wong Leong’s claims that party vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Wee Jeck Seng and former Gerakan Belia Bersatu chairman Tee An Chuan were part of the snoop squad.

Wong had previously alleged that the three-man snoop squad was set up by former president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting to oust his political enemies including former Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

“Many incidents in the report were left unanswered. We want justice to be upheld for Wong because the panel findings said he was uneducated, did not know anything and that there were other people backing him,” said Theng, who is also Wong’s lawyer.

He also urged the MCA president and presidential council to reform the disciplinary board, which had recently resigned en bloc, to open up the case and give Liow a fair chance to clear his name.

“If Liow has nothing to do with the secret committee, then we want justice for him too,” Theng told a press conference here yesterday.

He showed members of the media the three volumes of reports he received at Jaya 33 here.

Among the “elements” in the report which Theng pointed out was that the statements from several witnesses including Dr Chua, former vice-president Datuk Donald Lim, former Serdang MP Datuk Yap Pian Hon and former Damansara Utama assemblyman Lim Choon Kin had backed Wong’s claims.

He said some witnesses spotted Tee in Liow’s office when the latter was the Deputy Youth and Sports Minister.

“Tee had to wait for Liow for three to four hours so Liow had allowed him to use his room. This occurred not just once or twice but rather regularly. Is this normal practice for a visitor to see the deputy minister?” he asked.

Theng added that although Liow claimed that Tee was helping him with a youth national training programme at that time, the details of the duties assigned to Tee must be made known.

“Some witnesses also said Tee had travelled throughout the country to meet branch leaders and only asked about local politics such as who certain members were supporting. It was very strange that he seemed to know precisely the details of the membership of certain divisions,” Theng said.

“If Tee denied that he was receiving RM10,000 a month from Ong, then how would he have the means to travel around the country so often?” he questioned.

He said the root of MCA’s current leadership crisis stemmed from an “invisible force” which was controlling the party.

Asked whether he thought the Prime Minister’s intervention into party matters would help solve its problems, Theng said: “So far, there is no formula and both conflicting parties have not come together for a settlement. But I hope everybody will agree on being united.”