Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's quit announcement may have set back MCA's 'peace plan' as the top two rivaling leaders in the party are showing signs of sharpening the recently buried hatchet once again in a war of words.

"Mahathir's decision to leave in 16 months will see his attention shifted in order to deal with any possible problems in Umno, so MCA leaders may take the opportunity to revert to their old feuds," said a senior party leader who requested anonymity.

The war of words, if any, will likely revolve around the same old issue changing of the old guard which have haunted the party for two years now, added the source.

MCA leaders made statements last week that suggested factional tiffs may be brewing between Team A aligned to party president Dr Ling Liong Sik and Team B led by his deputy Lim Ah Lek.

Lim said last Friday that top party leaders, himself included, should "emulate the fine example" set by Mahathir to quit from all his party and government posts.

He said the retirement of the old guard was necessary for new young leaders to take over the party, adding that he had always wanted to go and that he would have left long time ago if he were party chief Ling.

Ling retorted by telling the press that it was unlikely for MCA to see a transition of power similar to that of Umno in the near future.

"Every party has its own circumstances. We never tell any party to emulate MCA, therefore it will not be right for others to ask us to emulate them," he said.

The party publicity bureau issued a statement to Chinese dailies early this week urging Lim to resign for "tarnishing the good image of the party". Middle-ranking leaders aligned to Team A also openly questioned Lim why he had not resigned despite saying so repeatedly.

Lim's supporters then returned a volley of criticisms in the Chinese dailies.

Challenge not taken

At the MCA presidential council meeting on Monday, Lim challenged Ling to hold a joint press conference to explain why Lim had yet to give up his post. He said both could openly rebut each other if they disagreed on the points raised at the conference.

The following day, Lim said Ling did not agree to the open debate. Lim said he had to resort to such a challenge as he was confronted recently with queries and pressure from other party leaders on why he had always said he would resign but had not done so.

Ling on the other hand was reported as saying two days ago that he preferred to speak to Lim in private than to answer his queries in the media, to uphold "the peace plan and stability in the party".

The party squabbles have worsened since it bought over two Chinese dailies in May last year. Team A led by party president Ling had proposed buying the newspapers while Team B aligned to his deputy Lim vehemently opposed it.

The Chinese media have had a field day reporting on the rivalling teams since then until Mahathir broached a peace plan for the factions recently which included maintaining status quo for all party posts.

The war of words between the rivalling teams have simmered somewhat but not all is what it seems on the front.

Slapping incident

An incident last week however has threatened the peace plan that was brokered. At issue is the presidential council's decision to suspend a woman member for slapping another at the annual general assembly of the party's women's wing.

MCA Kampung Bahagia Wanita branch chairperson Lo Nyet Yin was suspended pending investigation by the disciplinary committee for slapping Sabah Wanita chief Agnes Shim. Both are believed to be aligned to different camps.

Lim who heads the disciplinary committee said on Wednesday that Lo's suspension was unwarranted as the investigation has not even started.

He questioned the double-standard in the way the party handled disciplinary problems, comparing the gravity of the MCA Youth AGM fracas last year in which members threw chairs and shouted obscenities, with the slapping incident.

"After the Youth AGM fracas, we did not suspend anyone but the party set up a six-member inquiry committee to investigate the matter, but this time we suspended Lo immediately. The suspension is inappropriate," he said.

The inquiry committee later found Youth chief Ong Tee Keat who is aligned to Lim, 'responsible' for the fracas and suspended the movement's central committee. The suspension was only lifted this week after six months.