Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is likely to accept MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik's resignation from the Cabinet as transport minister, despite public posturings by the players involved that "Ling should reconsider" his decision.

Reliable sources told malaysiakini today the ball is not in Ling's court but Mahathir's - and it is believed that the prime minister had called for Ling's resignation, indirectly conveyed via a surprise announcement yesterday at MCA headquarters by party deputy chief Lim Ah Lek following an emergency presidential council meeting.

Mahathir was widely reported by newspapers today that he was told by Ling last week of his wish to resign his Cabinet minister's post.

New Straits Times in a front-page report said that Mahathir would ask Ling to reconsider his decision, but that "the final decision lies with him (Ling)".

A reliable source, however, said that Ling did not have a choice and was told to make the "resignation" announcement within 24 hours on Monday, hence the emergency MCA council meeting.

The source added that Ling only resigned his Cabinet post but not the party presidency so that he could groom his hand-picked successor, widely tipped to be party vice-president and Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Ting.

This would then checkmate the advance of men aligned with Lim such as Chan Kong Choy, another vice-president who was supposed to be promoted to a full minister's post after last November general elections but was apparently bypassed, which contributed to deepening the "differences" between the top two MCA leaders.

With Ling's resignation, Chan was forced into a position where he could not "possibly and with a good conscience" accept the transport minister's position, which is considered very senior.

Furthermore, Mahathir had also indicated he wanted a "senior" to replace Ling, which meant that another vice-president, Chua Jui Meng, not totally aligned to the Ling and Lim factions, could move from his present health to the transport portfolio.

Political commentator Eng King Sia said that Ling is "not sincere" as he only quit the minister's post but not the MCA presidency.

If Ling claimed that he is resigning due to the internal party problems, as implied in the press announcement by Lim, he (Ling) should resign his president's post as well, said Eng.

He said that while Chan might want a promotion to minister rank, it is not the right time as he would be accused of being "not kind"(pu ren pu yit) to accept the post at the expense of the president.

Eng, also a China Press senior writer, pointed out that Ling's appointment of Chan to succeed him as transport minister might upset his (Ling's) own supporters, but if he did not appoint Chan, Lim will not be satisfied.

Eng pointed out that the resignation of Ling would not decrease the chances of Ong Ka Ting to go for the top post in the party, but put him in a harder situation.

However, he stressed that the political situation in MCA now is "very unclear".

Eng said that the resignation is likely to stimulate another party fight as leadership power struggle is an MCA's tradition, evidenced by Tan Siew Sin versus Lim Chong Eu, Ling Liong Sik vs Lee Kim Sai, Dr. Neo Yee Pan vs Tan Koon Swan, Lee San Chon vs Michael Chen Wing Sum contests.

As to who will replace Chan's deputy finance minister post if he was elevated, Eng said that Klang MP Tan Yee Kew from Ling Liong Sik's faction would "fare" highly.

"Ling has to increase the quota for women, especially from Selangor, as the state's female members have criticised Ling for the unfair allocation of ministerial posts," he said.

Nanyang Siang Pau chief leader writer Teoh Kian Hoon stressed that for the meantime, Ling will not resign his president post so that he can control the situation in the MCA.

"Given that everyone is trying to persuade him to retain his minister's post, will anyone dare to challenge his president's post now?" he said.

He said, in this transition period, Ling will "look after" Ong while he faces a challenge from Chan in the ascension to the top post.

. "Even though Chan and Ong may have a stiff fight, both of them may make some deal where they can propose Chua Jui Ming to be the president for a short period as both (Chan and Ong) are not eligible now," he said, adding that the transition period will give them more time to strengthen their position.