KUALA LUMPUR: MCA central committee member Datuk Lee Hwa Beng was the major casualty in the party divisional elections yesterday when he lost the Kelana Jaya chief's post by a mere six votes to his division Wanita chief.
Lee, the incumbent, was defeated by Ong Chong Sian, who picked up 82 votes.
Highly anticipated challenges for several other party big names fizzled out when they won comfortably against their opponents, but there was a stiff tussle in Bukit Bintang before incumbent Datuk Dr Lee Chong Meng pipped his challenger by just one vote.
Party vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn successfully defended his Alor Gajah division head post while former vice-president Datuk Chua Jui Meng and Bakri division head incumbent also defeated his two challengers.
The biggest upset was Lee's defeat. The loss was the second major electoral defeat for the Port Klang Authority chairman in five months.
In the March 8 general election, he lost the Kelana Jaya parliamentary seat to Loh Gwo Burne of Parti Keadilan Rakyat.
Lee had been the Kelana Jaya MCA division chief for the last five terms.
Speaking to Bernama after the results were announced, Ong who is contesting for the first time for the division chief's post said she believed the delegates had voted for her as they wanted to make some changes and a new face to take over the division's leadership.
"I would say that today, delegates are no more like the last time (when they) just followed. Now they are looking for something new and dare to make changes. Everybody is looking for changes."
Meanwhile, Lee, who is also the former state assemblyman for Subang Jaya before going for the Kelana Jaya parliamentary seat in the March 8 general election could not be contacted for comment.
There was also another upset in Selangor when Kapar division Youth chief Datuk Song Kee Chai defeated the incumbent Khoh Siew Kim by a 24-vote margin.
Also in Kapar, former secretary-general, Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh's gamble to vacate his Gopeng chairman seat paid off when he beat 39 others to clinch a central delegate's seat.
In Puchong, former party vice-president Datuk Yap Pian Hon was returned as a central delegate, paving the way for him to seek a higher post in the party.
In the Federal Territory, former Bukit Bintang MP Datuk Dr Lee Chong Meng held on to his Bukit Bintang chairman post when he defeated division treasurer and his protege Tai Kok Yew by a single vote.
Another big name loser was former Temiang assemblyman Datuk "Tiger" Lee Yuen Fong, who was sure of grabbing the Seremban chief post. He was badly beaten by state MCA secretary, Datuk Peter Lai Yit Fee by 212 to 138 votes.
The third challenger, Ng Chee Kong, received only 10 votes.
In the previous divisional elections in 2005, Yuen Fong had lost by only five votes to Datuk Hon Choon Kim, who did not seek re-election this time around.
In Rembau, former state executive councillor, Datuk Goh Siow Huat gained sweet revenge over incumbent chairman, Senator Lee Chee Keong.
Goh polled 76 votes against Chee Keong's 63, avenging his two-vote defeat in the 2005 divisional polls.
Penang was in contrast relatively quiet. Tanjung division chairman Datuk Dr Loh Hock Hun retained his post after defeating his challenger, Kangsar Road branch chairman Loh Poh Chye in a straight fight.
In Bayan Baru, division secretary Tan Lai Cheng was returned unopposed as the chairman, succeeding Ooi Siew Kim.
Also returned unopposed as Bukit Bendera division chairman was former Penang Island Municipal councillor Tang Heap Seng.
In Perak, Albert Chang won the Gopeng division head's post with 159 votes against Lee Thim Leng's 74.
The highly anticipated battle for the Kuantan divisional chief's post in Pahang saw the incumbent, Datuk Ti Lian Ker fending off Teruntum assemblyman, Chang Hong Seong by an 82-vote margin.
Ti obtained 159 votes compared with Chang's 77 votes.
In Ipoh Timur, incumbent chairman Datuk Chew Yai Khoon lost to his deputy chairman Datuk Thong Fah Chong. Thong got 192 votes to Chew's 135.
The elections went on smoothly against a backdrop of rumours of behind-the-scenes power play by "shadow generals". There were no reports of untoward incidents.
The nationwide elections, involving some 40,000 voting delegates, saw contests for the top posts in 79 of the 191 MCA divisions.
One of the most contentious states was Selangor, which saw contests in all but three of its 22 divisions.
Fong, meanwhile, was one of three senior party members tipped to be bidding for the party presidency, soon to be vacated by present head Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, at the national-level elections on Oct 17.
Fong defeated Ngow Duo Soon, his division vice-chairman, by 46 votes. The other two are Chua and another former vice-president, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.
While Soi Lek was unanimously returned as division chief by all 33 Batu Pahat branches on July 22, Jui Meng faced a three-cornered tussle in the Bakri division, against his former supporters, division treasurer Tay Khim Seng and MCA Jalan Abdullah branch deputy chief William Tan.
Chua managed 224 votes, while Tay obtained 134. Tan only managed seven votes.
"I have received a ticket from the Bakri division to Kuala Lumpur. I will now evaluate my support before I decide to go for a top national post," Chua said.
