MCA president Ong Ka Ting, who is housing and local government minister, has taken on an additional cabinet post, the health minister.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today announced that Ong will be acting health minister two days after Dr Chua Soi Lek stepped down from the post.

Chua had admitted on Tuesday that he was the man featured in a video having sex with an unidentified woman which was being distributed by unknown individuals in his home state of Johor last week.

A day later, he announced that he was stepping down from all party and government posts.

Abdullah’s announcement did not come as a surprise as political observers had speculated that Ong would nominate himself as acting health minister to pave the way for his elder brother and MCA secretary-general Ong Ka Chuan to assume the post after the next general election.

Ka Chuan could not take over the ministerial post as he is not a parliamentarian.

In the 2004 general elections, he failed in his bid to wrest the Batu Gajah parliamentary seat in Perak from DAP's Fong Po Kuan.

There were four other likely contenders - Ong Tee Kiat, Donald Lim, Ng Yen Yen and Liow Tiong Lai - for the health minister portfolio, which is traditionally reserved for MCA.

However, Tee Kiat and Donald - who are the highest ranking within the party among the five - were unlikely to be picked.

Observers have pointed out that Ong does not favour Tee Kiat because of his reputation as a ‘maverick’ while Donald’s chances are slim due to his close links with Chua.

Most ridiculous, shameful, unacceptable

It is not clear how long Ong, who is a former high school teacher, will helm the Health Ministry.

But it is expected that he will hold on to the job until the upcoming general election which could held as early as March.

Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang has earlier slammed the proposal for Ong to double up as a “half-time” health minister as “most ridiculous, shameful and unacceptable”.

“At present, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is also the internal security minister and finance minister – and it is no exaggeration to say that this has resulted in the country having the weakest and most ineffective internal security minister and finance minister in the nation’s history.”

Lim said that Ong’s appointment as acting health minister has send the message that Abdullah is “not concerned or interested about efficient, effective and good governance but only in playing politics in Barisan Nasional”.