KOTA KINABALU: MCA Penampang will be issuing a statement in response to the termination of four Kapitan Cina from the Kepayan constituency.
Its divisional chief, Datuk Paul Kong, said this when asked to comment on the complaint raised by the Kapitan Cina or Chinese community leaders concerned.
Kong was also asked if MCA Penampang would assist the four community leaders who were seeking an explanation from the relevant authorities on their termination.
Those terminated were Chong Chiew Kiong (Kepayan Rumah Murah), Yong Ah Loi (Nosoob),and Kwong Leong Ping (Lido). It was learnt that the Kapitan for Kepayan Ridge, Wong Yun Thiam, also received the termination letter.
On Sunday, Chong, Yong and Kwong held a press conference to highlight their plight, claiming that their appointment was endorsed by MCA, which had represented the Kepayan constituency prior to the 13th General Election, when it lost the seat to DAP.
According to Chong, they received a letter each from the Local Government and Housing Ministry informing them that their services would expire by May 31.
“We feel sad because our services are no longer required and it is worse because the termination was done in such an abrupt manner with no reasons given,” he said, and urged the ministry concerned to explain why their services had been terminated.
He said it was necessary because they did not want the community in Kepayan to have misunderstanding.
Chong said they would be forwarding a copy of the termination letter to the Chief Minister, the Penampang BN chairman, Penampang District Chief, and also to Sabah MCA liaison chief for further action.
He also clarified that their sacking was not the result of the recent statement by MCA National Youth chief Chong Sin Woon who was of the opinion that the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) should be shut down because of the spate of abduction cases.
In fact, they believe it is an act of political revenge by a member of the Penampang MCA, and Chong claimed that prior to and during the previous general election, they were pressured by the person not to assist, especially in campaigning for the Kepayan BN candidate.
But instead of complying with the person’s ‘directive’, all three of the Kapitans decided to campaign for all BN candidates in Penampang, including for the Kepayan candidate although the candidate subsequently lost in the election.