KUCHING, Nov 22: Former Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) Deputy Minister Chong Chieng Jen’s brother-in-law revealed that he was only offering voluntary assistance while working in the former’s office.
Chong’s brother-in-law Kiung Teck Chang in a press statement aimed at putting the record straight said he was an employee of a company listed on the Singapore Exchange for more than 30 years, heading the company’s operation in East Malaysia.
“Given my expertise and experience in the retail sector, YB Chong (who is the Stampin MP and Kota Sentosa incumbent) has on numerous occasions requested me to help him in his ministry.
“In August 2019, I decided to quit my job to help YB Chong in his Deputy Minister’s office. I have no formal appointment and received zero salary or allowances from the ministry or any agency under the ministry.
“I was inspired by YB Tony Pua’s selfless act in helping the Ministry of Finance to put things right. Thus I wished to contribute my expertise and experience to help bring about changes and reforms in YB Chong’s ministry. This is part of my national service to the country,” said Kiung.
Kiung said he was deeply disturbed by Padungan incumbent and former Sarawak Democratic Action Party vice-president Wong King Wei’s testimony about him in court and the news reports that followed.
“By issuing this press statement, I wish to put the record straight so that the public is not misled by his testimony and the press report of his testimony,” said Kiung.
Kiung was responding to Wong’s testimony in Court on Nov 19 where Wong had described Sarawak DAP as the “Chong Dynasty”.
To back his point, Wong said that “there was a family member involved in a government agency and the office of Deputy Minister in Putrajaya of Mr Chong Chieng Jen who Mr Chong Chieng Jen has caused and push to be appointed” (excerpt from the notes of proceeding provided by Kiung in the statement).
In the same court session, Wong also pointed out that Kiung sits on the Sarawak DAP State Committee as a member.
On this, Kiung said since he joined DAP in 1999, he had been helping in the party’s election campaigns as the operations director for the Kuching region.
“I have also helped Mr Wong King Wei towards his victory in Padungan DUN constituency for the years 2011 and 2016. It is with deep disappointment that he has resigned and now turned against the party.
“In appreciation of my contribution to the party over the years, the delegates of the DAP Sarawak Ordinary Convention elected me to be a Sarawak State Committee member in November 2018, almost 20 years after I joined the party and helped in four parliamentary elections and three state elections as operations director for the Kuching Region,” said Kiung.
Sarawak Federation of Chinese Association president Dato Richard Wee has filed a defamation suit against Chong’s special assistant Michael Kong over an alleged defamatory statement which was authored and published by Kong on July 21, 2020 on his Facebook page.
Wong testified in the Kuching High Court for the plaintiff in the defamation case on November 18 and 19.
Wee was represented by counsels Shankar Ram Asnani, Russell Lim and Yu Ying Ying while Kong was represented by his counsels Chong and Sim Kiat Leng. — DayakDaily
