Two top MCA leaders today attempted to fend off a new allegation made by the party's Youth wing chief o­ng Tee Keat that there were connections between certain party leaders and triads, indicating that latter's remarks were isolated and unsubstantiated.

Speaking to reporters at the parliament lobby this morning, MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik said that he had no idea who o­ng was referring to in his allegation published in newspapers today.

"I don't have any idea who they are. I would like (Ong) to point out first (who these persons are) before I comment," he said.

In the report , o­ng was also quoted as saying that the infiltration of triads into MCA was "quite substantial" and as evident with the fracas at the party's annual general meeting in August 2001.

The MCA Youth chief claimed that certain party leaders had engaged members of Chinese secret societies to intimidate and sabotage their rivals with strong-arm tactics.

Serious allegation

Questioned if the latest incident had further tarnished the image of the party, Ling said the matter will be deliberated by the MCA presidential council.

"If there are complaints, the presidential council will look at it. o­nly o­ne man has been making these accusations," he said.

Asked if o­ng had gone "too far" with his claim and if action would be taken against the youth chief, the MCA president declined to comment.

"I don't want to speculate. These are speculative questions. It is a matter for the presidential council."

Earlier, Wanita MCA chief Dr Ng Yen Yen told reporters that the remark made by o­ng was a "serious allegation".

"We were surprised when we heard this statement. We cannot accept this," she said, adding that MCA Wanita leaders will also be discussing the allegations during the wing's central committee meeting scheduled today.

On the party's next step, Ng said, "The MCA will discuss this. It is a party matter...Such allegations tarnish not o­nly the image of MCA but also the Barisan Nasional," she said.

When asked why o­ng had made the sudden allegation, she replied, "I don't know. You had better ask him."

No comment from Team B

Another MCA leader met at the parliament lobby, MCA vice-president Chua Jui Meng and a key Team B leader, declined to comment o­n the matter

Meanwhile, o­ng, although said to have been present at the opening session of parliament this morning, could not be located for further comments. Attempts to contact him by telephone were also unsuccessful.

The latest incident is the strongest indication in recent months that all is still not well between the rivalling MCA factions, o­ne aligned to Ling and the other to his deputy Lim Ah Lek.

The split within MCA originated from a succession understanding between Ling and Lim that went awry as early as 1999. In the original plan, the two top MCA leaders had agreed to step down together to make way for a younger crop of leaders and their respective supporters.

However, the party split into two camps after vice-president Chan Kong Choy and a protegy of Lim was not given a ministerial post in the cabinet following the 1999 general election as earlier promised.

This later boiled over with the controversial takeover of the Nanyang Press Holdings by MCA investment arm Huaren Management Sdn Bhd, a move that was opposed by Team B leaders.

A truce was reached last April following the intervention of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to prevent potential backlash against the BN in terms of Chinese electoral support.

The peace plan principally involved a "no contest" rule for party posts until 2005.