| Yang Berhormat Dato' Sri Ong Tee Keat 翁詩傑/翁诗杰 (Chinese) |
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|---|---|
| 8th Malaysian Chinese Association President | |
| In office 18 October 2008 – 28 March 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Ong Ka Ting |
| Succeeded by | Chua Soi Lek |
| Member of the Malaysian Parliament for Pandan |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 21 March 2004 |
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| Preceded by | New constituency |
| Malaysian Minister of Transport | |
| In office 18 March 2008 – 4 June 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Chan Kong Choy |
| Succeeded by | Kong Cho Ha |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 November 1956 Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, British Malaya |
| Spouse(s) | Chooi Yoke Chun (徐玉珍) |
| Children | 3 daughters |
| Residence | Taman Midah, Cheras |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Engineer |
| Religion | Buddhism |
| Website | www.ongteekeat.net |
Dato' Sri Ong Tee Keat (simplified Chinese: 翁诗杰; traditional Chinese: 翁詩傑; pinyin: Wēng Shījié; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ong Si-kia̍t) is a Malaysian politician and current Member of Parliament for Pandan. He was the Transport Minister in the Malaysian federal cabinet from March 18, 2008 to June 4, 2010. He was the 8th president of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA).
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The son of a fishmonger, Ong was an active grassroots MCA member even while at varsity. Educated at Confucian High School in Kuala Lumpur, Ong went on to MBSKL for Form Six studies. Six years after graduating as a mechanical engineer, and while enjoying a lucrative post at an engineering firm, he quit to become political secretary to the then Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Lee Kim Sai in 1986.
Ong is married to Datin Seri Chooi Yoke Chun and has three daughters.
A gifted writer, Ong, who has won several literary awards for his works was once a columnist for Chinese daily Sin Chew Jit Poh. His articles ran from 1979 to 1986.
After becoming a full-time politician in 1989, he contested the Ampang Jaya parliamentary seat. He faced a tough challenge in his maiden effort to be a member of parliament when he was pitted against former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Harun Idris who was standing on a Semangat 46 ticket.[1] Ong beat the former Umno strongman by 4,500 votes. He went on to hold the seat for four terms before contesting and winning the newly created Pandan parliamentary seat in the 2004 general election. He successfully defended the seat in the 2008 general election.
When Ong was MCA Youth chief, he criticised the party top brass for the decision in 2002 to acquire Nanyang Press Holdings Bhd. A few years later, he was censured by the Cabinet for speaking out at the shoddy renovation work at a Chinese school in Muar, Johor.
Ong was previously Deputy Youth and Sports Minister until the Cabinet reshuffle in 2006, when he was appointed Deputy Higher Education Minister.
In October 2008, Ong was elected MCA president, while Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek was elected deputy president.[2] This set forth a tumultuous partnership, and eventually Dr Chua expelled from the party by the Disciplinary Committee for his involvement in a sex scandal.[3]
An extraordinary general meeting of the MCA was held on October 10, 2009 in which a vote of no confidence was passed against Ong and his deputy, Chua Soi Lek.[4] Ong Tee Keat refuses to resign. Instead, he and Chua have agreed to bury the hatchet to unite and strengthen the party without any conditions under a "greater unity" plan. He said Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai still as legitimate deputy president of MCA as it is elected by the Central Committee. Dato'Sri Liow was later removed from the deputy president's post by the Registrar of Societies which declared that the post was never vacant to begin with.[5]
Some Central Committees who were previously supporting Ong, led by Liow Tiong Lai, turned against Ong and attempted to demand for a re-election for the Central Committee. They were supported by MCA Youth Chief, Wee Ka Siong, and also the MCA Women Chief, Chew Mei Fun. Finally, these Central Committees, and also a few other CCs led by Chua Soi Lek, together resigned and forced a re-election, as they have achieved at least 2/3 majority of the CC, as per the party constitution.
Ong Tee Keat contested in the re-election to defend his Presidency, against his former Deputy, Chua Soi Lek, and also his predecessor, Ong Ka Ting, who came back in popular demand. He did not appoint any partner to contest for the Deputy Presidency, unlike Chua who appointed Kong Cho Ha and Ong Ka Ting who appointed Liow Tiong Lai.
Ong Tee Keat and Ong Ka Ting were both defeated by Chua Soi Lek. However, Ong Tee Keat had never promised to resign as Transport Minister.
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