MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik today said the party's annual general assembly scheduled on June 29 could be postponed if it is deemed necessary by the party's election steering committee.

He said this in response to the demand by Team B leaders to postpone the AGM as they alleged that the number of delegates for the assembly was tainted with discrepancies.

"This is up to the steering committee. If they find grounds to postpone the AGM, then I respect their decision.

"But don't just postpone for the sake of postponing," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

The party president noted a majority of the members wanted the party elections to be carried out as scheduled as over 90 percent of them did not object to the membership list and their wish must be taken into consideration.

Yesterday, some 50 MCA state leaders disputed the number of members who were deleted from the party's new membership list, claiming it does not correspond with the decrease in delegates attending the upcoming AGM.

Earlier this week, steering committee chairperson Dr Ting Chew Peh announced after going through complaints about 9,121 dubious members, 868 names have been struck off, representing barely 0.1 percent of the over one million MCA members.

Ting, who is also the party's secretary-general, added 2,667 delegates will be present at the AGM this June to vote for their central leaders.

However, Team B leaders claimed that for 10 delegates to be dropped, it will effectively mean a deletion of at least 3,000 names from the membership list.

Positive agenda

Meanwhile Ling today, when asked, said the squabble within MCA would be resolved amicably.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad took a swipe at MCA leaders from both factions, for worsening the internal split and led to a compromise on the interests of Chinese Malaysians.

"We must have a positive agenda which is proactive for the betterment of the community... We don't want to quarrel over this matter," said Ling.

He also said the upcoming party elections will lay the internal problems, which have haunted MCA for over a year, to rest.

"The delegates are the highest authority, they have to decide what kind of leaders they want and make the best choice," he said.

MCA leaders have been divided into two camps — Team A and Team B — since the party acquired two Chinese dailies last May.

Team A, which favoured the deal, is led by Ling while Team B is led by deputy president Lim Ah Lek.

The party elections, held every three years, will start at branch level this month, division level in April, state May, and central leadership June.