updated version

MCA deputy president Lim Ah Lek and vice-president Chua Jui Meng remain as trustees of Huaren Holdings after they emerged from this afternoon's meeting of the party's investment arm.

"We are still trustees of our party," Chua told reporters as he was leaving the conference room following the two-hour meeting.

However, when asked if he and Lim had been given the option of either backing the Nanyang takeover or resigning, Chua replied, "No comment."

Earlier today, a source close to the party told malaysiakini that it was likely that party president Ling Liong Sik would at the meeting sack the two trustees who are opposed to the controversial RM230 million takeover of Nanyang Press Holdings.

Ling also said yesterday that those trustees who were against the Nanyang deal should resign from their posts.

The four trustees of Huaren are Ling, Lim, Chua and party secretary-general Ting Chew Peh. Also present at today's meeting, the first since the takeover controversy began, were Huaren chairperson Yang Ming San and MCA legal bureau chairperson Leong Tang Chong.

Lim refused to reveal details about the outcome of the meeting beyond saying that he and Chua have not changed their stand on the issue.

"Our stand is still the same," said Lim when asked if they had agreed with the party's takeover of Nanyang, which publishes the Chinese dailies Nanyang Siang Pau and the China Press .

Road shows to continue

He added that the road shows and talks will go on in various states as scheduled to brief party members on why the Nanyang deal should be opposed.

"We'll be in Johor, don't worry," Lim said.

The leaders of both opposing camps have planned for talks to mobilise support from party members in various states, including one briefing in Johor tomorrow night by Chua, Lim and other central committee members who reject the deal.

Johor is known as MCA chief Ling's stronghold.

It was learnt that on Sunday, Chua will be in Kedah state to meet party members on the issue while state party adviser William Chek, who backs the deal, is speaking at another briefing also in Kedah.

MCA acquired Nanyang Press through the party's Huaren Holdings from two Hume companies owned by tycoon Quek Leng Chan last month despite widespread objection from Chinese organisations.

Chua and Lim were among the eight central committee members who voted against the then proposed deal at the committee meeting. However, the controversial deal was backed by the other 32 committee members and the transaction was subsequently completed with a 100 percent bank loan.

Party constitution violated

Meanwhile, party youth chief Ong Tee Keat, who voted against the deal, has called for an extraordinary general meeting of the Youth wing on June 23 to discuss the Nanyang takeover.

According to Sin Chew online, Ong said that those backing the deal had violated the party's constitution in their haste to approve the deal.

"The fact that the party leadership had decided and signed the agreement for the purchase without seeking the approval from the trustees and the central executive committee (CEC) members beforehand is against Article 150 of the party constitution," he said.

At a press conference which hardly lasted for five minutes after the meeting today, Ling, who was flanked by the other three trustees, said that disagreements on the controversial takeover would not stop from them from discussing the matter.

"We had a very cordial meeting and a frank discussion. Although we may have different opinions, the friendship and bond between us built up over the years are still there," he said.

"Whether such meetings will continue in future, I must say there are no barriers to prevent us from having discussions," he added.

No comments

Ling then declined to respond to questions from journalists.

"No more answers, thank you very much. Your (journalists') deadline is coming up, you need to file your stories."

Following this, he then headed to his office while the other three trustees headed to the elevators with journalists in hot pursuit. Instead of answering questions from the journalists, Ting whistled an unidentifiable tune.

A few journalists decided to stay on with the hope of getting Ling to provide further comments. However, when he was met by them at the lobby of the building, he totally ignored their questions and kept repeating, "No more, no more, no more...," before getting into his car.

A small crowd of 20 gathered at the building's entrance this afternoon to hear the outcome of the meeting. They were later joined by reporters, who outnumbered them. The crowd dispersed after the trustees' press conference.