Former MCA president Ong Tee Keat today dismissed the allegations that he would backtrack on his decision to contest the No. 1 post in the upcoming party polls.

He said his decision is firm - if not he would not have gone nationwide to persuade central delegates to support him.

To emphasise his determination, he said, he did consider beheading a chicken to show his seriousness.

"I almost did said I would do this. But I am a Buddhist, I can't kill," he said, when repeatedly pressed with questions on his determination to contest for the top post.

Beheading a chicken is a Chinese traditional act to show one's determination.

Ong had been perceived as indecisive - when he announced his desire for the top post, he also emphasised his candidacy depended on his reading of the situation on the Dec 16 nomination day.

Following that, negative rumours spread, saying that he would backtrack to give way for party vice-president Gang Peng Sieu and in return he will be a senator and a minister if Gan won.

Ong has dismissed such allegations.

He, however confirmed that party president Chua Soi Lek's faction, as well as deputy president Liow Tiong Lai's, had tried to persuade him to withdraw, which he had rejected politely.

He said he was surrounded by negative allegations, the fact that he had met the central delegates in a closed-door meeting had been twisted as though he had wavered.

Despite there being only five days left before the party nominations on Dec 16, Ong still refused to announce his team members for fear they would be categorised as Ong’s faction.