The pressure o­n Ling Liong Sik, MCA president and transport minister, keeps piling up day by day in the New Straits Times , an Umno-controlled daily.

Just today, the NST reported the Barisan Nasional secretary-general, Mohamed Rahmat - the MCA chief's former boss when he was information minister in the 80s - as saying that Ling's silence o­n his alleged wrongdoings may affect BN's performance in the next general elections.

He even goes so far as to imply that Ling should start thinking about making 'sacrifices', noting that Anwar Ibrahim and Harun Idris made sacrifices by going to jail. Though the logic applied by Mohamed defies common sense (who would make sacrifices by 'volunteering' to go to jail, indeed!), the message to Ling is abundantly clear.

Allegations by his 'estranged' confidante and former business partner, Soh Chee Wen, go unanswered by Ling and he continues to stonewall, hoping perhaps for a miracle that the problems he faces will just go away by themselves. Or he hopes that by concentrating o­n fund-raising efforts for Utar and the continuing related publicity given by The Star , his spin doctors can try to distract attention away from the allegations of wrongdoing by Soh.

Even the MCA-controlled Star newspaper, respected and widely read by Malaysians, is being used by the party leadership to exercise constraint in reporting o­n Ling's alleged wrongdoings. It speaks volumes for the integrity and reputation of the editors of this newspaper, who are responsible for the indiscretion (Mohamed's statement in the NST has gone unreported in The Star ).

I find it incredible that the other top MCA leaders in Team A, like o­ng Ka Ting and Fong Chan o­nn, who are such strong supporters of Ling and who, indisputably, owe their positions in the party and government to Ling and Ling alone, can stand idly by and not utter a word in defence of Ling all these months.

I have no doubt that they are fully aware that their silence is just as deafening as Ling's. Their silence also implies that they know they are put o­n the defensive and in a real dilemma. Their mantle as politicians are being put to the most severe test.

By not coming to Ling's defence, the message to the world and the party is that Ling has to answer for the alleged misdeeds by himself. This then creates some doubts as to where their loyalties lie. No doubt they are painfully reminded of the Tan Koon Swan episode in the party's history when not too long ago the former MCA president had to go to jail. Going by Mohamed's 'logic', Tan had made sacrifices.

No doubt also, o­ng and Fong will think of their own future and avoid all possible 'collateral damage' to themselves by coming to Ling's defence now. They must be thinking of the proverbial rats deserting sinking ships right now. So now Ling is caught between a rock and a hard place - Team B leaders who are clamouring for his removal and o­ng and Fong, who are now shying away from him like the Sars virus and hoping not to be infected. And waiting for the day they have to jump ship.

Perhaps they are learning from Chua Jui Meng not to reveal the bad things hoping they will go away. MCA members hardly expect Team B leaders to say anything in defence of Ling. If anything, they are probably taking such delight in seeing Ling squirm under the allegations of wrongdoing by Soh.

However, I am sure they would be extremely interested in hearing what Ling, o­ng or Fong have to say about the allegations. This is an extremely serious matter. It is not about Team A or Team B anymore. The image and credibility of the Malaysian government is being tainted by Ling's alleged wrongdoings.

No less than the Barisan Nasional secretary-general has consistently over a period of time expressed grave concern over the allegations of wrongdoings by not o­ne top MCA leader but two.

The issue will not go away.