The MCA special committee failed to reach an agreement as to whether a fresh elections should also be held for the party's Youth and Wanita wings or be limited to the parent body.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, deputy president Dr Chua Soi Lek said different lawyers have opposing views over this.

NONE Therefore, he said the final decision will be made by the central committee (CC).

"We noted that based on article 176 of the party constitution, the CC can make a decision (on the issue). We will present all the views when the CC holds its meeting," he explained.

Asked when the CC meeting will be held, Chua said the decision will be made later since party president Ong Tee Keat is currently abroad.

Meanwhile, vice-president Liow Tiong Lai told reporters later that the special committee members had differing views on the fresh elections.

Liow, who is also health minister, feels that since the leadership tussle concerns the parent body, the wings should be spared from holding a contest.

Chua when asked if there is any other solution to end the crisis apart from a fresh elections, responded in a philosophical manner by saying, "Politics is an art where the impossible becomes possible and the possible becomes impossible."

The deputy president also stressed on the importance of heeding the prime minister's call to resolve the quagmire which has been plaguing the second largest Barisan Nasional component party for months.

However, he expressed confidence that a solution was around the corner.

Two weeks to think about resignation

The special committee managed to reach a consensus on two other issues - the number of CC members who must resign and the term for the new CC.

Chua said that 21 out of the 31 elected CC members must resign in order for a fresh polls to be carried out.

"We had one CC member who passed away. The appointed member who replaced him should also be considered as an elected member," he added.

Following the new elections, he said the term of the new CC members will expire in 2011, and not the full three years.

NONE Asked how many CC members were willing to quit, the former health minister said the questioned should be referred to the secretary-general.

He said the CC members received their 'resignation letter format' yesterday but until now, nobody has tendered their resignation.

When pressed on whether there is a deadline, Chua said the CC members will be given two weeks to decide.

He also refused to state if the CC members aligned to him should quit, noting that it is their wish to do so.

Earlier, reporters were left in the dark when the special committee changed its meeting venue at the eleventh hour from the MCA headquarters to a nearby hotel without informing the media.

Reporters then searched several hotels and restaurants, before chancing upon the cars of several MCA leaders parked outside Hotel Corus.

Chua later explained that the venue had to be changed because the air-conditioning unit on the 9th floor of the party headquarters was not functioning.