An emergency MCA presidential council meeting this afternoon gave the go-ahead to the party's investment arm, Huaren Holdings Sdn Bhd, to proceed with the takeover of Nanyang Press, which published two major Chinese-language newspapers.

Party president Ling Liong Sik told reporters after the meeting that a majority of the council members backed the decision while three abstained from the vote.

He said the three members who abstained included deputy party leader Lim Ah Lek, who yesterday told malaysiakini that he did not support the takeover.

Star Publications, which is controlled by MCA's Huaren Holdings, is seeking to buy Nanyang Press, the publishers of the Chinese dailies the Nanyang Siang Pau and the China Press .

[Full report to follow]