PO KUAN CRIES OFF: Batu Gajah MP declines nomination - NST

By : Shahrul Hafeez and P. Chandra Sagaran

BATU GAJAH: The opposition Democratic Action Party was dealt a major blow in Perak when its firebrand female leader, Fong Po Kuan, pulled out of the general election, citing internal politicking as her reason.

Fong is a two-term incumbent Batu Gajah MP. Her claim to fame was the defeat of Perak MCA chairman Datuk Ong Ka Chuan, who is also the brother of MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting, in the 2004 general election.

She had been a favourite to retain her parliamentary seat.

Her decision yesterday threw the Perak DAP into disarray, with state DAP chief Ngeh Koo Ham saying he hoped Fong's decision would not affect the party's bid to win at least four parliamentary seats in the Kinta Valley.

Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said they would try to persuade Fong to stay.

"We were surprised to receive her letter. I have been too busy to read it in detail," he said, adding that the party was caught off-guard as he had phoned her the night before to confirm that she would be re-nominated in Batu Gajah.

At a press conference here, Fong, who is one of the more vocal DAP MPs in the house and was elected at the age of 24, said: "My decision is final. It was not an easy decision."

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