My decision is final, says Fong

IPOH: Fong Po Kuan, dubbed cili padi because of her fiery style, has dropped a bombshell that has rocked the DAP – announcing that she is not going to contest in the general election.

The latest crisis to hit the opposition party is as a result of state party leaders trying to grab her Batu Gajah parliamentary seat.

“This crisis has been brewing for quite some time and it is unfortunate that it has exploded just before the general election,” said the insider, who is sympathetic to Fong.

Happier days: Fong being kissed by Tan after their marriage ceremony in Ipoh on Jan 12. It has not been a fairy-tale since then.

Her troubles with the other party leaders started when she defeated Barisan Nasional’s candidate Datuk Ong Ka Chuan in 2004 for the Batu Gajah seat.

“After her victory, Perak DAP leaders labelled Batu Gajah as an opposition stronghold and wanted her to give way to more senior leaders,” said one source.

Announcing her decision not to contest at a press conference at the Batu Gajah DAP office, Fong said her decision was final and suggested that incumbent Pasir Pinji assemblyman Thomas Su Keong Siong contest in her place.

This, according to party insiders, was a move by Fong to prevent state party leaders from nominating DAP Youth chief Nga Kor Ming, who is Pantai Remis assemblyman, to succeed her. It is well known that Fong does not get along with Nga or the state DAP led by his cousin Ngeh Koo Ham, the incumbent Sitiawan assemblyman.

“In fact, Fong and Ngeh are not on talking terms,” said one insider, adding that there were moves to even get Fong to contest in Johor, just because she married Johor DAP organising secretary Tan Chen Choon on Jan 12.

Another insider blamed Ngeh and Nga for freezing her out of the state party, which was why she resigned from the state committee last year.

The 34-year-old Fong, who is still the party’s assistant publicity secretary and Wanita DAP national organising secretary, refused to take many questions.

“The development of internal party events in the Perak DAP over the last few years and currently, has made it impossible for me to continue serving effectively and efficiently and wholeheartedly as a party leader and an elected representative,” she said.

She said it was a tough decision for her because the DAP had become her “second family” and the people of Batu Gajah had become special to her over the last eight years.

Fong tried to keep her emotions in check throughout the press conference but her voice broke as she read out her statement, especially when she described the DAP as her second family.

“Under such circumstances, and in the best interest of all concerned, I have arrived at this unavoidable and difficult decision. My decision is final.”

She said she had conveyed her decision to DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, who is also a member of the DAP National Committee on Candidate Selection, and written a letter to party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng about the matter.

Calls to Nga, Ngeh and other Perak DAP leaders to get their comments about Fong’s decision went unanswered.

Fong, who holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the International Islamic University, first came into national prominence when she won the Batu Gajah seat in the 1999 general election with a majority of 2,071 votes. At 26 years of age, she was the youngest MP then.