Embattled MCA president Ong Tee Keat has rejected a new peace formula to resolve the current MCA struggle between him and his recently sacked deputy Chua Soi Lek.

The peace formula, dubbed the third way, was said to be brokered by some senior veteran party leaders and former ministers.

The peace deal sought to emulate the one brokered by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mahathir that saw Ling Liong Sik and Lim Ah Lek retire in 2001 to pave the way for a new leadership to take over and successfully aborted another protracted party struggle.

The new deal, as part of its formula, is said to have both Ong and Chua to step down gracefully to pave the way for the next echelon of leaders such as Liow Tiong Lai and Kong Cho Ha to take over.

When asked about the third way, Ong, (left) did not deny that the formula was proposed but instead questioned the agenda of the so-called power brokers.

"There are always attempts to broker all sorts of solutions in the name of promoting unity, but deep in their heart, God knows what agenda they really harbour?"

He also dismissed the ‘proposed third' solution as "half truth" and this would not be able to break the cohesiveness of the party leadership.

NONE Ong also slammed that the power brokers as trying to pit certain leaders against one another.

However Ong refused to identify who the power brokers were although many veterans aligned to former Team A presidents Ling Liong Sik and Ong Ka Ting are clearly supporting Chua.

Some inner circle members in the MCA have identified former MCA deputy president Chan Kong Choy as the most likely person who is brokering the peace formula.

Many of the party veterans are said to be also uneasy with investigations into PKFZ as some of them may be implicated.

We need to cross the bridge

In an interview with Malaysiakini at his Transport Ministry office, Ong said that he had no regrets over the sacking of Chua, which created a political storm in the MCA that could eventually divide the party into two.

"We need to cross the bridge - nobody is above the constitution and code of ethics of the party. The same code of ethics was adopted several years ago in the presence of Chua Soi Lek himself and others have been brought to the book under the same set of code with Chua's consent."

During the interview, Ong also reiterated that the issue is not about the bitter fight between him and Chua but rather a fight on bigger issues.

"Right from the start, I did not identify him as the target of my fight. No doubt, I have put up a fight but this fight is against corruption and malpractice. That explains why I have been so adamant on the PKFZ issue otherwise I won't go so far. "

"Little did we expect that the entire episode would ultimately involve certain quarters like KDSB's (Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd) boss (Tiong King Sing) plus some party outsiders who choose to collaborate with Chua in meddling with party matters.

Lengthy deliberation before sacking

He also defended the independence of the disciplinary board which was headed by the former secretary-general Ng Cheng Keat.

Ong said that the decision to endorse the disciplinary committee by the presidential council had gone through a lengthy deliberation and he did not use his position to dominate the other members.

"It is not fair to say that (I sacked Chua). The decision to expel from the party was suggested by the disciplinary board and the chairperson Ng Cheng Keat who is fiercely independent.

"Yes (I endorsed it), but that was not without lengthy deliberation for more than two hours and everybody spoke his mind. Throughout the process, I spoke the least.

"I think it is fair for others to express their view and the nitty-gritty that they went through. I don't think I should use my presidential position to dominate and influence others."

Software used to send SMS

Tee Keat also denied claims that he had sent humiliating SMSs to Chua and said that he had never ordered the disciplinary board to "axe" Chua's supporter, former Johor state assemblyperson Low Tei Hean.

Chua has shown the alleged SMS to the media as proof that the disciplinary board was just a puppet controlled by Ong.

He claimed that there is now a software that could send out text messages by using someone else's mobile number without the owner's knowledge.

He claimed that a similar episode occurred during last October's party poll where his phone number together with two other MCA leaders numbers were "hacked" by others to send out SMS messages.

"So far in dealing with Chua, our interaction through text messages has been cordial... Why in the first place do I need to scold him or humiliate him, for what?

"Why must I send out SMS? Do you think that by scolding him I can gain extra mileage? Or by scolding him, I am going to change him or fulfill what I want from the party? "

Efforts at negotiation fails

But Ong did admit that previous efforts failed in trying to negotiate and patch up with Chua, but he refused to disclose the details.

NONE "This is already considered water below the bridge. Of course he can made his statements.

"Some matters in the past was not entirely privy to me but were known to certain individuals as well...

"Along the past 10 months, a lot of things took place behind the scene. I choose not to brag or discuss it simply because I don't believe in washing dirty linen in the public"

Chua has recently refuted the claims by Ong at the closed-door briefing for party members.

According to reports by the Chinese press, Ong claimed that during their negotiations, Chua had demanded for the post of a cabinet minister, a senatorship and being made the party discipline chief as well as the state MCA chairman for Johor, which Ong rejected.

Chua said that he had only asked the post for the Johor state chairman.

Support has been growing

Ong brushed off news reports that his career is nearing the end and his cabinet post may be dropped after Hari Raya during a cabinet reshuffle exercise by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Ong also said he was unfazed by the claims that Chua's faction had gathered more than enough signatures from the central delegates to petition for an EGM and that he was the underdog in the current party struggle.

"Chua Soi Lek and his followers have been telling the people since last year that 800 (signatures) are already in hand, and latter on (gathered) 1,000 or 1,200 and got more. But I am strongly convinced people are not easily swept by half truths."

He claimed that he had chosen to brief the party members behind closed doors around the country to keep them updated.

"So far, from what we have gauged, the support has been growing.

On several occasions, I have been overwhelmed by spontaneous support (from the party members)."

Ong also refuted claims that the party seems to be heading for two EGMs, one called by him and the other one by Chua's faction.

He accused Chua and his followers of employing various intimidation tactics that included paying money for the signatures and that his reason to call for an EGM was to stop any further rift.

"What I said exactly was if at all of you could not get the sufficient numbers, I am still prepared to facilitate an EGM. Under the constitution, I can invoke the power vested in me to call for an EGM, just like what Tun Ling Liong Sik did."

Ling had in 2001 called for an EGM to resolve the controversy over the party's takeover of the Nanyang Press Holdings, which controlled two major Chinese language dailies.

Ong also denied that his faction is stalling for the preparation for a common EGM that could be attended by both sides by refusing make public his resolutions beforehand.