It may be Christmas in a couple of days, but MCA vice-president Liow Tiong Lai will not get his dearest wish - for sufficient resignations from the central committee (CC) to force fresh party polls by January.

Although he and 12 other CC members had initiated the move by sending in undated resignation letters on Dec 15, no one else has followed suit to date. Their deadline to do so expires on Friday.

MCA head Ong Tee Keat told bloggers yesterday at a high-tea session that his supporters in the CC will not cave in, even though Liow has tried to pressure more CC members into resigning by claiming that BN head Najib Abdul Razak and deputy Muhyiddin Yassin back fresh polls.

The party constitution requires two-thirds - or 21 CC members - to resign in support of fresh polls. The resignation of Liow and his 12 cohorts will not take effect if there are no additional resignations.

ong tee keat meet blogger 221209 uncle boo Blogger 'Uncle Boo', one of nine who attended the session, revealed that Ong is confident Liow will not be able to collect the remaining signatures.

"He is (also) of the opinion that fresh polls may not solve the party's problems," he told reporters after the session in an upmarket Chinese restaurant in Subang Jaya.

According to other bloggers, Ong claimed that former MCA president Ong Ka Ting, deputy president Chan Kong Choy and treasurer Lau Yin Pin are behind Liow's faction.

"Ong admitted he is fighting this hidden force, when questioned by one of the bloggers," said a participant who refused to be named.

Before leaving the restaurant, Ong told reporters that the discussion had touched on party matters and other political issues, but refused to reveal the details.

"They (bloggers) are very concerned about the nation's macro-politics," he said with a smile.

Recommendations ‘later'

In a related development, deputy president Dr Chua Soi Lek who heads a special committee to look into details of fresh polls, has not submitted any recommendation to CC.

NONE At a press conference after the presidential council meeting last Monday, Chua said he is not aware how many CC members have submitted resignation letters.

This is because the letters would have been sent to the party secretary-general Wong Foon Meng, whom he had not met in the interim.

Chua said he would call a meeting of the special committee after Friday, and then submit its report or recommendations to the CC, the party's highest decision-making body.

This move is being seen as another procedural hurdle imposed by the Ong-Chua faction to delay fresh polls.

Chua had earlier said that he would prefer polls to be held in March at the earliest. Ong's choice is June, after amendments to the party constitution to allow direct elections by members.