MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik's hasty return from Perth tonight is to inform Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad tomorrow about his decision, reportedly to remain as transport minister for a "limited period" only.

A MCA source told malaysiakini today that the "final outcome" would depend solely on Mahathir, whom Ling has rushed back for another one-to-one meeting before the prime minister leaves early Wednesday morning for a week-long visit to Japan.

It was Mahathir who at a pre-Cabinet meeting on May 24 approved Ling's two weeks' leave to "reconsider" his expressed wish to resign from the Cabinet, announced indirectly on May 22. ("[#1] Ling takes leave to mull over resignation[/#] ", May 24).

But one party who will be conspicuous by his absence at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at Sepang when Ling's plane touches down at 9.30pm tonight is deputy MCA chief, Lim Ah Lek, whose "irreconcilable" differences with Ling play a role in the current saga.

Representing Lim would be his anointed candidate for the MCA presidency, party vice-president Chan Kong Choy (a deputy minister) who will feature as a key player as the two camps work out a deal for the succession to the party's presidency.

The source said Ling is buying "time" for a limited period to work out a deal with the rival camp headed by Lim, but this could stretch into weeks or months.

The latest twist in the Ling's saga could have been strategised following a stream of MCA ministers last week to Perth where Ling was having a golf vacation. The lightning visitors included MCA vice-president Ong Ka Ting (a minister), Ling's personal preference as a successor to party president's post.

"Ling's change of mind (now not to resign as transport minister) could have bought him some time to consolidate his supporters' grip on the party's top posts.

"The upshot is that it would prove disastrous to Ling himself, as well as the party, in the longer term as this transitional period will see factional fighting, whose intensity will increase with Ling's prolonged stay," the source said.

An observer of MCA politics said this "MCA in limbo" stems from a proposal initiated by Ling that when he later resigns as transport minister, he would also resign as party president provided Lim also resigns his deputy post.

"This will be very difficult for Lim to accept, especially the deal is likely to involve a request to promote Ong as the new president, with Chan moving up as deputy," he added.

Lim had announced before the November general elections he would retire from politics soon, but changed his plan when some differences with Ling became "irreconcilable".

Even with a "compromise solution" being worked out by the two camps, a third party protagonist - senior MCA vice-president, Health Minister Chua Jui Meng, now acting as transport minister - is left "out in the cold" and will prove a problem in the realignment of power within MCA ("[#2] Realignment as Ling goes Down Under[/#] ", June 1).

The fate of all the president and deputy president's men hangs in the balance for the all important meeting likely to take place tomorrow morning when Ling calls on Mahathir.