MCA today moved ahead to restrict the tenure of the head of its president, although this may take effect only from 2005 when the next party election is due.

MCA secretary-general Ting Chew Peh said the presidential council this morning discussed amending the constitution and agreed that the new rule should apply to a president elected only by the general assembly and having served at least two years of the three-year term.

"We discussed the wording of the amendments...which had already been agreed upon at the party central committee meeting last month," he told reporters after a two-hour meeting at the MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

"(The limitation applies to) the president elected by the general assembly. Very likely this will be effective only from 2005."

Ting said the amendments will be tabled at the annual general meeting (AGM) from Aug 9-10. Similar proposals for the Wanita and Youth wings will be tabled after the respective sections amend their bylaws.

He added that the amendments will be sent out to all 2,800 delegates within the 21-day period leading up to the AGM.

At last month's central committee meeting, MCA president Ong Ka Ting pledged to pursue efforts to amend the party constitution to put a cap on the tenure for top posts at a maximum of three terms.

The move is believed to be a concession by Ong to mollify split factions which have been quarreling over various issues since leadership succession problems arose in 1999.

During a peace deal brokered by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad last year, the two quarreling factions led by former MCA president Ling Liong Sik and his estranged deputy Lim Ah Lek, agreed for the party elections to be suspended until 2005.

Exception to rule

Ting said if the amendments are passed, it would limit a party president to holding office for a maximum of three terms.

This is more or less equivalent to nine years since the party is required by its constitution to hold elections at least once every three years.

"If a president serves for a year and there is a new party election by the general assembly, then this will not be counted. A term means serving not less than two years. Any president serving for that period of less than two years is not considered to have served a term," he clarified.

He conceded, however, that Ong could still serve more than nine years as his elevation to the top post was not by election by general assembly delegates.

"These two leaders (Ong and his deputy Chan Kong Choy) were not elected by the general assembly but by the party central committee. So (the period up till 2005) is not included," he said.

Ong and Chan were elected to head the party in May following the joint resignations of Ling and Lim. Since their appointments, the new leaders have been keenly working to mend the rift in the party.

Tee Keat absent

Ting said the presidential council did not discuss two other pressing issues , namely the reinstatement of two suspended Penang state assembly persons last week and the saga over triad allegations which were first brought up by Youth chief Ong Tee Keat.

On the former, he said MCA's decision to lift the suspension of Lim Boo Chang (Dato Keramat) and Tan Cheng Lian (Jawi) would be discussed at the next Barisan Nasional meeting, although adding he had "no idea" when the meeting might take place.

In an unexpected move, the party's presidential council last Thursday revoked the indefinite suspension imposed on the duo since last December, after they abstained from voting against an opposition motion to defer the controversial Penang Outer Ring Road project.

Although the reinstatements have since been accepted by Mahathir, the premier had in January said any decision on the lifting of the suspension orders would be made by the BN supreme council.

Tee Keat's about-turn

As for the triad allegations, Ting said the issue was "not raised at all" as Tee Keat was not present at the meeting today.

From comments in a Bernama report yesterday, Tee Keat appears to have backtracked on his earlier claim that MCA is infiltrated by triads just five days after he was issued "stern warning" against further tarnishing the party's image.

The Youth chief, who is abroad, stated in a faxed statement that his accusations of triad links were only made in relation to the Aug 3, 2001 annual general meeting fracas, and not to the party as a whole.

Tee Keat had only last month reaffirmed that he stood by his claim that the party was infiltrated by triads despite initial police investigations stating otherwise.