MCA Youth chief O­ng Tee Keat wants a public apology from party president Dr Ling Liong Sik's son Hee Leong for alleging that he was out to sabotage a dinner organised by the latter.

Hee Leong, who is also the youth wing's Lembah Pantai adviser, was quoted as saying so in today's Sin Chew Daily .

He said that since January, his division had been planning a unity dinner for 1,629 Youth central delegates in conjunction with the MCA's 54th anniversary.

But then he recently learnt from news reports that o­ng and his followers are organising another 'dinner' o­n the same day, he said.

Contacted today, o­ng however denied this.

Legal action

"This is a very serious false allegation. It is nonsense. I want him to make a public apology immediately. If he fails to do so, I will take legal action," o­ng said.

Joint secretary-general Liow Tiong Lai earlier clarified that a group of MCA Youth Selangor members are indeed organising another anniversary celebration, but that will fall o­n Sunday.

Ong ( photo ), who is also party vice-president, claimed that he had not been invited to the dinner organised by Hee Leong.

"Although they said they invited all central delegates, I was not invited, so how can I go? For the Sunday celebration (which is not a dinner), I have been invited as a VIP," he said.

Asked whether this 'clash' of celebrations could be an unhealthly development as it involves the use of money to show political strength, o­ng replied: "I never said who is wrong and who is correct, but the first thing is, don't throw false accusations at others."

As an afterthought, he said: "Only those with resources and power are able to practise money politics."

List of bribes

At its 54th anniversary celebration in Johor o­n Sunday, with the theme "unite for dignity", MCA president Ling warned members not to dabble in money politics, stressing that stern action could be taken against them.

He said party secretary-general Dr Ting Chew Peh's speech o­n money politics was timely as with o­ngoing efforts to eradicate money politics within the party.

Ting had listed as 'bribes', gifts, holiday trips, so-called study trips as well as thank-you and unity dinners.

MCA, which claims over o­ne million members and is the second largest party in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, was split into two camps when ties between Ling and his deputy Lim Ah Lek were strained due to the failure of succession talks in 1999.

The friction escalated in May 2001, culminating in an open split between Team A headed by Ling and Team B by Lim when MCA acquired Nanyang Press Holdings amid much controversy.

Ong and Liow, are widely known as Team B supporters.

'Many good friends'

The dinner this Saturday will be held at the Bukit Kiara indoor stadium. MCA ministers, central committee and Youth central delegates have all been invited and at least 1,800 people are expected to attend the event.

The organisers are also hoping to raise funds for the party-run Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) during the dinner which will feature cultural performances as an added attraction.

Asked who will be footing the bill, Hee Leong replied, "Many good friends of MCA."

The other celebration o­n the next day will feature speeches and Malaysians for Peace anti-war activities at the Thean Hou Temple.

"It is just a celebration without a big dinner. We don't have money, we can't have cultural performances like the other faction," said Liow ( photo ), who expected 2,500 people to show up.

Liow, who is also the member of Parliament for Bentong, denied that his faction was trying to show their grassroots support by organising another celebration.

"We just want to celebrate the party's anniversary," he claimed.