Letter To Chan Kong Choy - 2nd Sept 2004

TO : YANG BERHORMAT,
DATUK CHAN KONG CHOY,
MINISTER OF TRANSPORT.

2nd SEPTEMBER 2004

Dear Yang Berhormat,

RE : COMPLAINTS AGAINST MCA OFFICIALS
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My purpose in writing to YB in your capacity as Deputy President and Disciplinary Chairman of MCA, is to seek your kind intervention in some complaints which I have against certain MCA officials. It is rather unfortunate that some of these officials seem to have forgotten about the promises which they have made to the people, to serve them to the best of their ability, while campaining during the elections.

YB, as a blind individual, allow me to relate to YB 3 unfortunate and unpleasant experiences which I have encountered with some of your officials and I sincerely hope that you will act on these complaints and take disciplinary action where necessary. During the early part of August, I made a visit to the MCA headquarters at Wisma MCA with the intention of meeting up with the MCA complaints bureau chief Michael Chong, as I had heard so much about his heroic and wonderful deeds in the press most recently. I've also been given to understand that he will be potrayed as a hero in a forthcoming TV series which is supposed to be screened very soon. However, in this letter, I wish to expose Michael Chong for what he really is. Just to set the record straight, when both me and my wife arrived at Wisma MCA, we were made to wait for more than half an hour before we could have an opportunity to meet up with Michael Chong. From the very start, his mannerisms were most despicable to say the least, as my wife who is partially-sighted can vouch for. He came across as a very unfriendly, uncaring and insensitive person. To cut a long story short, I proceeded to tell Mr. Chong about my problems but he chose to ignore me altogether. Some of the unkind things which he said was that he was unable to assist me as he did not know what job was suited to me as a blind person. When I told him that I'm a singer by profession and that I'm finding difficulty in securing jobs in this field and that I was discriminated against during my short stint at RTM and subsequently relieved of my job by the head of Radio 4 namely Rohani Harithuddin, Mr Chong chose to disregard all my pleas for assistance and to add insult to injury, as I was still trying to highlight my problems to him, he proceeded to make a private conversation over the telephone, after which he just walked out of his office. What else could we have done but to walk out after him. It is my contention that it is unbecoming of the MCA bureau chief to act in such a high-handed manner. In short, I felt that I had wasted time in trying to get assistance from Mr Chong and I feel that I have been greatly let down and disappointed by him.

On June 24th 2004, I attended an exhibition at The Mines which was supposed to educate the public on the capabilities of the disabled community. This function was graced by Human Resource Minister Datuk Fong Chan Onn. I wish here to inform you that I met up with YB as he went round visiting all the stalls. When he arrived at my stall, I was about to tell him my problems, to which he quickly referred me to his press secretary Paul Cheng. Mr Cheng then gave me his calling card and asked me to call him to make an appointment which I subsequently did. However, since then, I have called him on several occasions but as he is so elusive, I have had no choice but to leave several messages on his answering machine but sad to say, I have not heard from him right up to this time.

Some months ago, I went to visit Mr Soon Boon Teck, the assistant to the Deputy Minister of Information, Datuk Donald Lim. My intention of doing this is to request for his kind intervention to investigate about my employment status with RTM.
However, once again, I regret to inform you that he was just as insolent as Michael Chong, in his dealings towards me and at one stage he almost drove me out of his office. During my first meeting Mr Soon, he told me that it was not within his jurisdiction to investigate the matter which I had brought to his attention but later he agreed to write to the head of radio 4 to sort out the matter. Subsequently, Mr Soon asked me to meet him for a second time at his office, to which I thought that he would have the head of radio 4 i.e. Rohani Harithuddin present, so that he could hear both sides of the story and then make his own judgement. Unfortunately, to my shock and dismay, on meeting up with Mr Soon, he proceeded to tell me that he had received a reply from Puan Rohani and that he was satisfied with the explanation given by her in relieving me of my job. It is therefore my contention that Mr Soon has been very biased in his judgement and his investigation slip-shod to say the least.

Finally YB, as Deputy President of MCA, it is my hope that YB will make a thorough investigation of the complaints which I have made in this letter and that MCA officials should not forget their promises to serve the rakyat and remember that the disabled community have also helped to put them in power by casting a vote for them. I hope that they and their representatives realise that they are accountable to the people and therefore should help the rakyat to solve their problems to the best of their ability. It is my hope that you would be so kind as to grant me the opportunity of meeting up with you, so that I can discuss certain matters with you and to make your acquaintence.

Your kind attention to this letter would be most appreciated and may the MCA grow from strength to strength. Looking forward to your early reply and thanking you in anticipation.

Sincerely,
Alfred Ho


NOTE : NO RESPONSE FROM CHAN KONG CHOY AT ALL