In combative mood, MCA secretary-general Ting Chew Peh is keeping his options open as he prepares to challenge the deputy presidency on Saturday.

Whether or not he will retire if his bid fails is a card that he is not prepared to reveal, but he is prepared to say this much in an interview with malaysiakini - that former party president Dr Ling Liong Sik has not rallied support behind him, as is widely speculated.