MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik today denied that the nullification of challengers who defeated incumbent leaders convincingly in their respective divisional elections last week had gone against the aspiration of the grassroots.

"Everything was done in the spirit of unity, stability and peace within MCA. We will not try to go into minor principles," he said at the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

He added that no further action will be taken against the divisions which openly defied the party's "no-contest" rule last week.

Last Thursday, at the Muar MCA divisional poll in Johor, delegates burnt copies of the MCA constitution as a sign of protest. They also pelted eggs at their incumbent chairperson Tay Chin Chua as he was leaving halfway through the meeting and elected deputy chief See Chin Chai, the acting chairperson.

In Selangor, the Kapar and Kuala Selangor divisions went ahead with balloting and witnessed the defeat of their incumbent chairpersons as well.

Former Kapar youth chief Khoh Siew Kim beat Tee Thiong Hock, who scored only two votes, by 226 votes; while Kuala Selangor vice-chairperson Tan Chong Seng bagged 158 votes and defeated Lim Thor who got none.

Yesterday, the election steering committee headed by secretary-general Dr Ting Chew Peh ruled that the results would not be acknowledged by the party, in line with the peace agenda put forward by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The candidates who won were disqualified.

Ling said most of the 166 divisions had already obtained a "95 to 99 percent" agreement on the list of office bearers though there are still problems with filling up the posts of delegates.

More persuasion

"Only six divisions have more serious problems that may require a little more persuasion. We are confident that we will solve most, if not all, of the problems within a week or two," he said after chairing a two-hour special mediation committee meeting.

The committee is comprised of nine top leaders including deputy president Lim Ah Lek, Ting and the four vice-presidents Dr Fong Chan Onn, Chua Jui Meng, Ong Ka Ting, and Chan Kong Choy.

When asked to name the divisions, he replied, "We don't want to tell. Sometimes it's easier to resolve problems without publicity.

"When the media focus on some people, it is very difficult for them (the people) to backtrack from their original position to achieve a compromise," he said.

Asked by reporters whether there was a possibility of disgruntled members quitting the party, Ah Lek said he hoped the unhappiness is only temporary and that the grassroots will not resort to that.

Questioned on whether MCA will suffer a backlash from the Chinese in the next general election in view of the recent leadership crisis, he said, "This is why we need to prove to them that we can unite. It is not a matter of whether we like it or not. We must do well."