MCA president Ling Liong Sik has called for an emergency meeting today of the 44-member central committee, whose "unanimous" support he would need before he conveys his "final" decision on his position in the Cabinet to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

The deadline is June 12, the day Ling's two-weeks' leave expires, which also features prominently in Ling's political career as an important court case is scheduled to resume which may have a bearing on the ongoing Ling saga which started on May 22 with a surprise announcement that the transport minister of 14 years wished to resign.

A showdown is expected at the CC meeting scheduled to start at 6pm at MCA headquarters in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, with several members aligned with deputy president Lim Ah Lek pressuring Ling to reveal the "real reason" that he had communicated to Mahathir on his wish to resign his Cabinet post.

An MCA source said if the "reason" centred around "private" matters and not about party problems" as averred to in the official "resignation" statement, then a war of words is expected between the two factions, one for the president and another for the deputy, Lim.

One "inconsistent" feature, the source pointed out, is why Ling only wished to resign from the Cabinet and not his party president's post that is valid till 2002, when the next party elections are next due.

Lim's key supporters, Chan Kong Choy and another party veteran, are expected to question the party president for a definitive answer on the rumours that Ling junior Hee Leong's business problems had caused Ling's present dilemma.

"If indeed it was personal or family problems that led to Ling wishing to resign as transport minister, the central committee is then not likely to throw total support behind Ling," said the source still active in MCA politics.

"As party leaders, we are all obliged to support the chief if he were facing a party problem vis-a-vis another external group, but not when it comes to a private matter," he stressed.

Hence the Ling's saga has reached a "turning point", in that the central committee members would have to decide whether they would give "unanimous" support to Ling, the source said.

So far, the public is given the impression that the party is "unanimous" in wanting Ling to stay on as transport minister, as indicated by various public expressions of support.

"If other 'material' facts are revealed at the meeting today which could change the members' mind, Ling would then have a difficult case to stay on," he added.

The High Court case involving businessman Tony Tiah may involve potential testimony to show Ling's son Hee Leong's business involvement with fugitive tycoon Soh Chee Wen, an issue which was speculated by several quarters to be a major factor that caused Ling's offer to resign ("[#1] 'Evil' to tie resignation to fugitive tycoon, says MCA chief[/#] ", May 24).

Tiah, former boss of TA Securities, is charged with abetting Soh in committing fraud relating to trading in Omega Securities shares.

Ling arrived home hastily last night from a golf vacation in Perth, greeted at 10.10pm at the KL International Airport by 1,000-plus party leaders and members to welcome him, hoping their party chief would reverse his decision, expressed several times, to resign as transport minister.

Conspicuous by his absence was Lim, though party vice-president Chan Kong Choy, a deputy minister who is aligned with Lim, was present but did not indicate any hint of Ling's latest decision even though he had flown to Perth a few days earlier to meet Ling ("[#2] Ling to buy time to work deal with rival camp[/#] ", June 5).

Also present were vice-presidents Chua Jui Meng (now acting as transport minister), Ong Ka Ting and Dr Fong Chan Onn, all holding full ministerships, who all said there were at the airport to demonstrate their support to convince Ling "not to resign".

Ling said only a few words at the airport: "Give me a few more days."