Veteran leaders Serdang division chief Yap Pian Hon and Klang MP Dr Tan Yee Kew both failed to win the division chief posts today in the party's division elections.

Yap lost his post to his protege, Seri Kembangan assemblyperson Liew Yuen Kong, by 88 votes while Tan was beaten by Teh Kim Poo by 79 votes.

Yap, 62, who is also the member of Parliament for Serdang garnered 108 votes to 196 by Liew, 44. The latter was the division's youth chief before deciding to contest for the division's top post.

Yap refused to comment on his defeat when contacted by malaysiakini this afternoon, apart from saying that he will call a press conference on Tuesday to comment on the matter.

Yap has contested and won in eight previous general elections for state and parliamentary seats in the Serdang area. He was also a former three term MCA vice president.

The Serdang division election, which has stolen the limelight in the run up to the polls, also recorded a 99.03 percent attendance. Only three from the 308 divisional delegates were absent, according to a report from Sin Chew Daily on its website.

The report also said that apart from Liew's victory, his team also won the main posts in the division including the deputy chief and the four vice chairpersons.

In the run up to the divisional election, Yap had alleged that a few top leaders at the central level of whom he did not name attempted to "kill off" his political career by requesting Liew to challenge him. The latter had denied the allegation.

Dr Tan's career in a downfall

Meanwhile, for Dr Tan, her defeat at the Klang division to Pandamaran assemblyperson Teh is expected to have a big impact in her political career. The MCA Wanita deputy chief and the state Wanita chief also faces a prospect of being suspended for a year from the party for tarnishing its image.

In the Gopeng division, the party's secretary general Dr Ting Chew Peh retained his division chief post by garnering 138 votes against his challenger Dr Ho Wai Cheong who obtained 102 votes.

The incumbent Ting, 62, has been at the helm of the Gopeng division since 1990 while the challenger Ho, 57, is the incumbent division deputy chief and Teja state assemblyperson.

Elsewhere, incumbent Seremban MCA division chief Hon Choon Kim retained his post by a slim five vote majority, to beat Temiang state assemblyperson Lee Yuen Fong.

Hon, the deputy education minister and Seremban MP received 176 votes while Lee, who is better known as 'Tiger Lee', polled 171 votes.

Proxy war

The contest has been said to be linked to the 'proxy war' between Hon and his state deputy chief Dr Yeow Chai Tiam for control of the MCA divisions in the state. Lee is known to be a supporter of Dr Yeow.

Yeow himself, has retained his Rasah division chief with 213 votes against a relatively unknown Ling Kok Wei who obtained 103 votes. Ling has been said to be supported by Hon.

Three MCA vice presidents, former health minister Chua Jui Meng (Bakri division), current Health Minister Dr Chua Soi Lek (Batu Pahat) and Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan Onn (Alor Gajah) were returned unopposed as respective division heads during the nomination period last Monday .

Fu Ah Kiow, the remaining MCA vice president, did not seek re election at the Temerloh division.

The MCA's annual general assembly and polling for party top leadership will take place on Aug 20 while its youth and women's wing elections will take place a day earlier.