Following MCA top leaders endorsement of the peace agenda, Team B is finding it difficult to tell their embattled middle-ranking leaders that the war is over.

Earlier this afternoon, Team B held a two-hour closed-door briefing for some 500 members and grassroots leaders at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, explaining why and how the peace agenda will be implemented.

However, after the first hour, many members started to leave the auditorium. Some told reporters that a heated discussion was going on inside and that many questioned the rationale for maintaining the status quo for all party posts, as stipulated in the peace agenda.

All of us are ready to fight (the other faction) but now we are suddenly told to hold our horses. How can I even go back and tell my division something that I cannot agree with? questioned one visibly upset division leader, who requested anonymity.

Not impossible

Later at a press conference, Team B leader and party deputy president Lim Ah Lek said it is not a matter of happiness when asked about his supporters response to the peace plan.

But when asked if they had accepted the peace plan, he said most of those who attended the briefing were generally happy and enthusiastic about it.

He admitted that there were problems on the ground, but was quick to add that he was confident they will be resolved before the 166 divisions in the country go for nomination on May 10 and subsequently, election on May 15.

He also denied that the party may be split into more than two feuding factions, with a third camp which opposes the peace plan.

It (persuading them not to go for contest) is not an easy task but it is not an impossible task... I am sure the other side (Team A led by party chief Dr Ling Liong Sik) will face the same problems, he said.

Last week, Ling announced that the central committee had agreed that the status quo for all party posts will remain until 2005, and that party elections will proceed but with no contest.

Yesterday, this was made clear to some 70 key leaders from different states who were aligned to Team A, to be relayed to their supporters.

Evasive

When asked, Lim said today the duration of the status quo was not discussed at the CC meeting, though Ling had said it is until the next party elections in three years time.

However, when pressed for details regarding this, he answered cautiously, continually stressing that the unity and stability for MCA, the Barisan Nasional and the country was the most important goal under the peace agenda.

The seemingly reserved Lim added that Team B had wanted the party elections to be postponed until the environment is conducive, perhaps after the general election and the membership list that they alleged to be tainted with dubious names is cleaned up through an independent verification exercise.

The leader also remained evasive on what Team Bs next course of action is since the divisional election fixed for May 15 will be based on the controversial membership list.

We dont know yet, we dont know yet, he said.

Done deal

But to many, the peace plan may well be a done deal and there could be little room for Team B to make any changes that can delay the party elections.

This was because the decision to go on with the elections was made by the CC based on the partys constitution which stated that they must be held every three years not later than Aug 31.

Team B also agreed under the peace agenda that they will not pursue the allegation about phantom members within MCA for now, which meant they had signed away the effective trump card that had gathered much support for them in recent months.

The plan, proposed by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was presented to both Team A and Team B two weeks ago at reconciliation meetings handled by Deputy Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Mahathirs close aide, Chinese entrepreneur Lim Kok Wing.

Ling gave his verbal consent to the peace plan after he reportedly managed to obtain the green light to proceed with party elections instead of postponing it indefinitely as proposed initially.

On the other hand, Team B cannot press for a verification of the membership list  which has been its bone of contention all along  as they have promised to let it go.

They cannot risk invoking the wrath of Mahathir who wants to end the MCA internal feud as soon as possible so that the party can start preparations to deliver the Chinese vote to the Umno-led ruling coalition in the next general election.