Ex-MCA assemblyman admits to ‘snoop squad’
By David Yeow, The NST
21 May 2008
KUALA LUMPUR:
Former Damansara Utama assemblyman Datuk Lim Choon Kim has admitted that he was a member of the MCA ‘snoop squad’. He made the bombshell admission when he testified before a party panel set up to investigate allegations that such a squad exists to spy on rivals of MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting.
The allegation was initially made by Petaling Jaya Utara division executive adviser Wong Leong last month. He named MCA Youth chief and Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Wee Jeck Seng and former Gerakan Belia Bersatu leader Tee Ann Chuan as members of the squad.
He claimed that the squad reported only to Ong and had been ordered to compile information on former health ministers Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and Datuk Chua Jui Meng, MCA vice-president Datuk Donald Lim and former MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik’s son Ling Hee Liong.
They were all, at one point, said to pose a threat to Ong’s leadership in the party.
“I told the investigative committee that what Wong Leong said is all true because I have also met up with Tee Ann Chuan seven times to talk about how to ‘strengthen the party’,??? said Choon Kim, adding that the first meeting took place on Nov 4, 2007.
The investigative committee, of Tan Sri Dr Sak Cheng Lum, Tan Sri Michael Chen and Roger Tan, was set up by the MCA presidential council last month to investigate the allegation.
Choon Kim also claimed that in their meetings Ann Chuan told him that the squad operated from the 16th floor of the Youth and Sports Ministry building in Putrajaya.
When asked if there was a possibility that Ann Chuan was just bluffing, Choon Kim said ‘No’.
On how he helped the snoop squad, Choon Kim said his role was to set up meetings and introduce various MCA members to Ann Chuan, purportedly so that they could be screened by the latter.
The meetings supposedly took place at the A&W restaurant and Overseas Restaurant near Amcorp Mall. Also appearing before the investigative committee yesterday was Dr Chua, a former vice-president of the party.
Alleged to be the squad’s first victim, Dr Chua’s political career came to an abrupt end early this year when a DVD was made public showing him having sex with a woman in a hotel room in Johor.
“My grassroots supporters have told me about such a squad since 2006. They said that Ann Chuan had approached and warned them against associating with me because I was a leader not liked by the top party leadership,??? said Dr Chua.
When the scandal broke, Dr Chua was told again by his supporters that it was Ann Chuan and Tiong Lai’s doing, but he refused to point fingers at the supposed ‘snoop squad’ due to lack of proof.
However last week, Dr Chua said a package was sent anonymously to him by mail, containing a five-page document, detailing the various meetings Ann Chuan had with different MCA leaders.
“Part of the document described the brokering process of MCA’s election candidates. It was stated that if certain people wanted to be picked as candidates, they must stop supporting me,??? Dr Chua said.
“Whether this document is a fake or not, I leave it to the investigative committee to decide.???
The investigative committee set the next hearing for May 27.