MCA shortlists candidates for Kajang state seat

MCA will present its shortlist of candidates for the Kajang state seat by-election to Barisan Nasional (BN) soon, party President Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai announced, Friday. "The Kajang by-election is very important to MCA and BN. We will work hard together to win it to ensure we have a stronger representation to defend the fate of the Selangor people," he said after attending the party's Chinese New Year open house at its headquarters here. Kajang assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh resigned from his post last Monday. Following his resignation, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim proposed Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as a candidate if the by-election was to be held. Liow, however, declined to comment on the possibility of naming national badminton player Datuk Lee Chong Wei as MCA's candidate for the seat although he felt that the athlete's popularity could be on par with Anwar's. On Thursday, a local daily quoted Padang Besar Umno division head Datuk Zahidi Zainul as saying he felt MCA should field a popular candidate against Anwar and suggested Chong Wei. Meanwhile, Wanita MCA chief Datuk Heng Seai Kie said Liow needed to be firm in selecting an MCA candidate for the seat. She believed the party would succeed with the support of the BN component parties, MCA's transformation and its machinery, including the Selangor Wanita wing led by Ong Chong Swen. Heng also did not discount the possibility of naming an MCA woman candidate for the by-election.