MCA deputy president Lim Ah Lek ( photo ) described this afternoon's presidential council's decision to refer Youth chief O­ng Tee Keat to the disciplinary committee as "a deliberate move to axe Team B leaders in order to strike fear into their supporters".

However, he said this move would not work.

"Instead, it will perpetuate the division (in the party), causing damage to the image of the party and (that of the) Barisan Nasional," he told reporters at a press conference held after the o­ne held by MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik at the end of the council meeting.

Present with Lim were four Team B-aligned council members ( from far left ) o­ng, vice-presidents Chan Kong Choy and Chua Jui Meng, and central committee member Fu Ah Kiow.

'Put differences aside'

Lim said Ling ( photo ), the leader of Team A, had chosen not to heed acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's advice to "resolve the issue amicably".

When asked, he said he would express his concerns to Abdullah as soon as possible because "Ling is not honouring the peace plan put forward by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad last year".

He said MCA should unite and put its differences aside as the next general election was "around the corner".

"This may well be Dr Mahathir's last election. We should win with a bigger majority and make it the biggest present to him before he goes," he said.

Mahathir's peace plan for MCA, proposed at the height of the year-long internal power tussle last April, stated that all party leaders would remain in their posts. The triennial party election was postponed indefinitely.

Subsequently, the pro-Ling central committee had ruled to proceed with the election, but stated that there was no contest for any party posts.

'Double standards'

Elaborating o­n the decision against O­ng, Lim accused Ling of practising double standards and warned that this would o­nly widen dissent in the party.

"Ong's statement (about triad infiltration into MCA) was o­nly referring to earlier statements by Ling and secretary-general Dr Ting Chew Peh ( photo ) during the 54th party anniversary celebration (on March 2) that money politics was creeping into the party to the tune of millions of ringgit," Lim said.

"Ong echoed the president's view that all members are duty-bound to eliminate money politics especially the 'black gold' politics similar to that in Taiwan (where politicians work with triads to achieve mutual goals)."

He said Ling and Ting should have been subjected to the same disciplinary actions as both of them did not furnish any names when making claims about money politics in the party.

"Ong at least gave two names. If his statement can be (seen to damage) the party's image, what about the statements by the president and the secretary-general? Why the double standards?" he asked.

He said the situation is more obvious because Wanita chief Dr Ng Yen Yen, who had held Australian permanent resident status when appointed senator in 1993, has not been subjected to disciplinary action.

Lim said Ng's case should have been viewed more seriously as it involved loyalty to the King and the country of a public office bearer.

"She has brought disgrace, indignity and embarrassment to the party by (taking an oath) as senator while holding Australian PR status," he said.

Ng had said last Friday that her PR status was to enable her to visit her children who were studying in Australia at that time, and that she had given up the status in 1995.