Former MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik has described himself as a patient man, but he is surprised as to the reason for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak dragging his feet in filing a lawsuit against him.

"I am still waiting. I'm a patient man. Don't rush, wait for it," Ling is quoted as saying by The Star Online today.

"I'm also surprised why he is taking so long (to take legal action), but I will remain patient," he added.

Najib had slapped the former transport minister with a letter of demand after he accused the prime minister of taking public funds.

Ling had also agreed with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad that Najib should vacate his post.

However, Ling has refused to retract his statement or apologise after a demand from Najib through his lawyers, saying that he was willing to face the prime minister in court.

The seven-day period cited in Najib's letter of demand expired on Oct 12.

Najib's lawyer Mohd Hafarizam Harun has said the prime minister would decide on whether to drag Ling to court after tabling the Budget 2016, which was done last Friday.

Yesterday, Hafarizam said Najib would make a decision in a day or two .

Meanwhile, another former MCA president, Dr Chua Soi Lek, told Malaysiakini that Ling was critical of Najib because he had an axe to grind with the prime minister.

This, Chua said, was because Ling was charged in connection with the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.

Ling was charged in 2010 - a year after Najib became prime minister - with three counts of cheating the government. He was acquitted in 2013.