Political Career
After becoming a full-time politician in 1989, he contested the Ampang Jaya parliamentary seat. He faced a tough challenge in his maiden effort to be a member of parliament when he was pitted against former Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Harun Idris who was standing on a Semangat 46 ticket. Ong beat the former Umno strongman by 4,500 votes. He went on to hold the seat for four terms before contesting and winning the newly created Pandan parliamentary seat in the 2004 general election. He successfully defended the seat in the 2008 general election.
When Ong was MCA Youth chief, he criticised the party top brass for the decision in 2002 to acquire Nanyang Press Holdings Bhd. A few years later, he was censured by the Cabinet for speaking out at the shoddy renovation work at a Chinese school in Muar, Johor.
Ong was previously Deputy Youth and Sports Minister until the Cabinet reshuffle in 2006, when he was appointed Deputy Higher Education Minister.
Read more about this topic: Ong Tee Keat
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