KUALA LUMPUR: Former MCA Secretary-General Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh hit out at Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting’s bid for the party presidency, calling Ong a “recycled politician”.

He said the attempt by Ka Ting to regain the No 1 post would promote an “unhealthy political culture”, especially among the younger leaders, and stressed that the former president was setting a bad precedent with his move to stage a comeback.

“I am not in favour of leaders who have announced their retirement to make a comeback with whatever excuses or reasons,” Ting told a press conference at a hotel on Thursday, March 25.

He added that Ka Ting’s bid to become the “saviour for MCA” was an insult to MCA’s current leaders and the 2,378 central delegates' ability in handling party’s affairs.

Ting also questioned why Ka Ting had kept mum when the political crisis was at its peak, adding that Ka Ting's sudden reappearance in the party’s political scene lacked sincerity and complicated matters in resolving the crisis.

“Recycling is good for solid waste,” noted Ting, who was former Housing and Local Government Minister and member of parliament (MP) for Gopeng.

Ting also said it was unfair for some central delegates to solely blame incumbent president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and his former deputy Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek to have caused the party impasse, adding that there were “problems that were brought forward” by the leadership before 2008.

“While you don’t expect to have 100% unity in the party, it is not true that MCA was united during his (Ka Ting) time as president,” he said, and added that the party was more stable during the reign of Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik.

Asked if would be voting coming Sunday, Ting replied: “I am a central delegate but I have not received notice on voting.”

The former secretary-general said he decided to speak up now as he hoped that the central delegates would be able to choose leaders that would “consolidate and reunite” the party at the March 28 polls.

When asked to comment on the party's Youth and Wanita wings being in favour of Ka Ting, Ting said: “You cannot stop people from supporting especially if they have vested interests.”

He added that the future of the party must be with leaders that were selfless and willing to sacrifice their own interests.

On whom he thought would win the presidency, he said: “Leave it to the central delegates to decide.”

“To me, it is very uncomfortable for an organisation that you have to go backward,” added Ting.

Ting contested the deputy president’s post in the 2005 MCA election, but managed to garner only 738 votes, compared to the 1,315 votes procured by winner Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy. A third contestant Chan Tse Yuen secured a mere 72 votes.