Former MCA president Ong Ka Ting has flatly rejected cyber talk that he is behind the so-called 'third force' in the infighting between president Ong Tee Keat and sacked deputy president Chua Soi Lek.

An aide to Ka Ting told Malaysiakini yesterday that the Kulai MP has no intention of returning to MCA politics as claimed by rumours circulated in cyber world.

ong ka ting "Ka Ting stressed that he had decided to quit politics. He does not and has not interfered in the current infighting," said the aide, who declined to be named.

After MCA suffered a great blow in last year's general election, Ka Ting accepted responsibility by deciding not to defend his presidential post in last October's party polls.

Tee Keat ascended to the post by defeating former vice-president Chua Jui Meng in that election.

According to an earlier report by a Chinese online news portal, Ka Ting and former MCA treasurer Lau Yin Pin were behind the third force with the intention of exploiting the situation exposed by the battling duo.

Malaysiakini's attempts to get a response from Ka Ting about the allegations failed but an aide called yesterday to provide a rebuttal.

The aide's belief is that the allegation was purposely 'leaked' to media by some quarters to gain political mileage.

The third force issue surfaced after both camps agreed to solve their year long tussle through a extraordinary general meeting (EGM) scheduled for Oct 10.

Sitting on dilemma's horns

It is learned that while Tee Keat and Chua both control around 1,000 votes respectively out of the 2,377 central delegates, the remaining 400 still remain undecided. These critical minority is dubbed the third force.

azlan The five resolutions tabled in the EGM will be voted on separately including a no-confidence vote against Tee Keat and a resolution to reinstate Chua.

This combination gives the central delegates two options - choose to keep one out of two or kick both out.

According to party sources, the third force was not well organised. They were not supportive of Ong's 'authoritative' leadership but did not want tainted Chua to head the party either.

Hence they could choose to back the no-confidence vote against Tee Keat while rejecting the resolution to bring back Chua.

This will open up a new scenario. The three vice-presidents Liow Tiong Lai, Kong Cho Ha, Ng Yen Yen and Youth chief Wee Ka Siong may take over the top two posts.

The most speculated combination remains for the moment that of Liow-Kong or Liow-Wee.

According to sources, some of these fence sitters are local warlords not aligned to any camp.

As far as they are concerned their's is a no-win situation no matter who is victorious, so the only choice left is to push for a new leadership, opening up a chance to be brought back to the corridors of power.

No matter who are they, for sure they will be the focus of both the Tee Keat and Chua camps in the remaining eight days.