Top-selling Chinese daily Sin Chew Daily today (Sept. 7, 2007) carry a front page report on Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy has resigned, adding that Chan handed in his resignation letter to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi without the knowledge of key MCA leaders, including Ong.
According to Sin Chew’s brief news report, Chan's resignation was due to ‘work, personal and health reasons' but apparently changed his mind after being persuaded by top MCA leaders, of which he is deputy president. Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy left the country suddenly on the eve of the 50th Merdeka anniversary celebration.
The reason as informed by his press secretary - Chan was on a two-week leave to seek medical treatment in Australia. His abrupt departure soon caused the rumuor mill to work overtime. Top BN leaders including Deputy Premier Najib Tun Razak and MCA president Ong Ka Ting had to appeal to the media not to speculate on Chan’s absence.
According to the analysis, Chan was unhappy with the Prime Minister’s Department handling of the RM4.6 million scandal surrounding Port Klang Free Zone(PKFZ), particularly from a group of bureaucrats better known as the ‘Fourth Floor’ operatives, who are key aides of Abdullah. Other incidents include the Islamic State declarations, the racially inflammatory remarks by Umno leaders, the attack on Muar student Wee Meng Chee which has irked the Chinese community. MCA leaders feel that Umno has disadvantaged them and the party is struggling to secure their support among the Chinese community.
Signs of frustrations were even more apparent when some of their younger members even went to the extend of calling for the party to withdraw from the Umno-led Barisan Nasional coalition during the recent MCA annual assembly.
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