Letter to Editor, Malaysian Digest 15 May 2012
Dear Editor,
I am most disappointed with the above report (‘Teresa Kok Questioned Over Fundraising Dinner’ on 15 May 2012, http://malaysiandigest.com/news/44189-fundraising-dinner-teresa-kok-dismisses-suspicion-of-corruption.html) published in your portal regarding a fundraising dinner that my Kinrara Service Centre had organised at the Shah Alam Convention Centre on 13 May 2012.
The said article carries no weight nor accuracy as I had denied any suggestions that the fundraising dinner was used for anything other than the purposes of raising funds for the DAP as resources for the upcoming general elections.
I do not know what the basis was for your journalist to highlight this fundraising dinner organised by my colleagues and me based on an email by ‘James’. DAP colleagues and I have been organising fundraising dinners to raise funds for by-elections, general elections and the operation of service centres for decades. This appears to be the first time it is being questioned by a media outfit.
Political parties and constituency service centres can only effectively operate and survive if there are enough funds. Most of us get financial support from public donations by organising fund raising events. This cuts across all political divides. I therefore reiterate that such practises of organising fundraising dinners are not wrong. I am curious to know why then is the Malaysian Digest picking on just this specific function?
In all my flyers on the fundraising dinner organised by Kinrara service centre on 13th May 2012, it is stated clearly that all cheques are payable to the service centre’s account and not my personal account. We will, in due time, certainly reveal the figures to party members who helped with the event.
In relation to your news portal’s take on my former volunteer assistant Tony Tan’s accusation of the “misuse of donations” over a donation given by a Sabahan businessman, to Malaysian Spring Single Mothers’ Society in 2003/2004, it is a blatant lie. The said Sabahan businessman is my personal friend and he supported my book project prior to the 2004 general elections and the so-called RM10,000 donation from him was never meant for the Malaysian Spring Single Mothers Society.
Tony Tan has been lying publicly in his press conferences with Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng. The reason I terminated him as my volunteer assistant and the reason the said Sabahan businessman friend terminated his business partnership with Tony Tan was because of his questionable conduct in money matters.
In fact, all the present and past leaders of the said society have clarified the matter with a press statement and press conference last month. The society’s leaders were very upset with Tony Tan as they had a very bad experience with him on money matters when they jointly organising a mid-Autumn dinner function in the past.
The society’s committee members were very upset with Tan Tee Beng who came out in the press conference with Tony Tan to accuse me of meddling with the donations without first checking with the society.
I am very surprised that your journalist never checked with the Malaysian Spring Single Mothers’ Society leaders on this accusation against me. He wrote the piece based on unfounded accusations against me. I urge your news portal, and anyone else who feels the need to question my integrity, to conduct proper investigations and seek input from those organisations that I have worked with, to raise funds for the benefit of the society and for public events, as there is nothing to hide in terms of the handling of funds.
Attached below is a statement (which is also available on my blog) by the Single Mothers Society on the rebuttal to Tony Tan’s allegations in which they have refuted the implications of any mishandling of funds on my part.
– Teresa Kok
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Press Statement by Ng Yoot Kuen, Chairperson of Malaysian Spring Single Mothers’ Society on 27th April 2012 (Friday) at Kuala Lumpur
(27 April, Kuala Lumpur) Ng Yoot Kuen, Chairperson of the Malaysian Spring Single Mothers’ Society, expressed regrets that the MP for Nibong Tebal Tan Tee Beng helped Teresa Kok’s former volunteer assistant, Tony Tan Chee Chong, to have a press conference and lodge report at MACC accusing her of hijacking donations to the society, without first checking the facts with the society.
Ng Yoot Kuen said Tan Tee Beng is trying to get cheap publicity by lodging a false report against Teresa Kok.
Tony Tan had lodged a report to MACC to accuse Teresa Kok of hijacking some amount of donations given by a Sabahan businessman to the Malaysian Spring Single Mothers’ Society many years ago.
“After checking with Teresa Kok, the Sabahan businessman, and our society’s account in year 2003 – 2004, I found that there was no such RM5,000 donation given to our society. So the said accusation is completely baseless. ” said Ng.
Ng described Teresa Kok, the society’s advisor, as a person who is always concerned about the financial situation of the society, and she is also a person who is prudent in monetary matters of the society.
“In contrary, Spring Single Mothers’ Society has bad experiences with Tony Tan, in organizing a mid-autumn festival dinner many years ago, where Tony has messed up the dinner accounts and the society had to invite Teresa Kok to help to clear the mess and work out a mutually agreed account for both parties.” added Ng.
Ng urged Teresa Kok to take legal action against Tan Tee Beng and Tony Tan for defamation. She said the Malaysian Spring Single Mothers’ Society will certainly support Teresa in this legal suit in order to return justice to her.
So, you are also in their sights as one of the phobia of which they are having more and more!
That shows your prowess in politics!
If they think that they can gain political mileage, they are wrong!
They will make the Malaysian Chinese Angry only!
And the boot to their backsides will be delivered by more force in the next GE!!!!
SO, CHIN UP!!!!!