Press Digest: Tee Keat bids MCA farewell

FORMER MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has quit the party to focus on business and cultural work.
Ong, a former transport minister, told China Press on Wednesday his resignation took effect on Jan 2 this year, the daily reported yesterday.
He said he decided to leave MCA as he did not deem it appropriate to stay on.
"Yes, effective Jan 2 this year, I was no longer an MCA member. I feel it is not suitable for me to stay on," he said.
He said he had no plans to join another party but would concentrate on business and cultural work as well as writing books.
"I did not announce my resignation. I want to be an ordinary citizen.
"I am not suitable for political games, I have been in politics for 36 years since (joining MCA in) 1981," he said.
Ong hinted that there were quarters who did not want him to contest in the 14th general election and a small group of people did not think he would be a winnable candidate, giving him the feeling that it was meaningless to remain in MCA.
Ong held a joint press conference with former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin regarding the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 some time ago.
Asked if he would join an opposition party, Ong said he had no immediate plan to become active in politics again and his decision to quit MCA had nothing to do with the press conference.
Sixty-one-year-old Ong, who was former Ampang Jaya (now Pandan) MP for five terms between 1989 and 2013, was elected the 8th MCA president in October 2008.
He sacked his deputy Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek not long after, prompting the requisition of a party extraordinary general meeting and eventually a re-election in March 2010 that saw him defeated by Chua for the party top post.
Ong was left out of Barisan Nasional's candidates list in the last general election.