Top Umno Youth leaders today offered an apology for their conspicuous absence from the MCA Youth annual general meeting yesterday and urged the media not to interpret it as a boycott.

Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who was present today at the official opening of the MCA AGM by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, conceded that he had "screwed up".

"That's very unfortunate. There was a bit of screw up, I screwed up on the matter... It was not intentionally that we didn't want to go," he told reporters.

Khairy denied that Umno Youth was sending "a message" to its counterparts in MCA by their absence.

"We apologise to MCA Youth for the bungle. It shouldn't have happened and that's why we (Umno Youth leaders) came together to support our friends today.

"It's a miscommunication that happen once in a while. Don't read into it any further," he added.

Hishammuddin: It's a non-issue

Khairy's boss, Umno Youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein ( photo, right ), who was also present, said it was a "misunderstanding" between him and Khairy when pressed for comments.

"I was of the impression that Khairy was going to represent me but Khairy was not aware of it. If we really want to do that (a boycott), we wouldn't came today. I have called Liow (Tiong Lai, newly-elected MCA Youth chief) and congratulated him. This is a non-issue," he said.

The education minister explained that he attended an Asean education ministers conference in Bangkok which he "could not avoid" and had only returned last night.

"I can assure you that the relationship between Umno Youth and MCA Youth will be even stronger under the new leadership of MCA Youth. It doesn't matter what people say but we will prove it," he stressed.

He also urged MCA Youth leaders to explain the 'misunderstanding' to their members.

However, Hishammuddin said he did not agree with some MCA Youth delegates' opinion that he had stirred up racial sentiments with his call for the revival of the New Economic Policy (NEP).

"The NEP is nothing new. We raise it every year (in the Umno Youth AGM)," he replied.

Liow later told reporters that MCA Youth would accept the apology.

Pak Lah's choice: Ong or Chua?

Earlier, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had sought to reassure minority groups in Malaysia that the economic opportunities of all races would not be compromised under Barisan Nasional's power-sharing deal.

"No one takes all and no one loses all. No single race will be sidelined or abandoned," he vowed to a resounding applause from the MCA delegates.

"Those who are strong, we would not weaken them. We will make them stronger. However, to those who are strong, don't forget those who have yet to become strong," the premier added.

Abdullah also spoke on the hotly contested MCA polls, the first party election in six years.

"Many delegates here are wondering who Pak Lah will support? Actually this is a difficult question. But after I think, and think again, I have decided to state my support...," he said, to which everyone in the packed conference hall was hanging on his every word.

"I believe everyone will agree with my choice - that the MCA will elect a new leadership through this election, and the one who will finally win is the MCA," he said.

Ong: Provide equal opportunity

Meanwhile, MCA president Ong Ka Ting asked the government to provide equal opportunities to the Chinese community to participate in various fields such as automobile, oil and gas and telecommunications sectors through joint ventures or equity participation.

"We urge the government, when assisting the bumiputeras in achieving the 30 percent equity, to provide sufficient opportunities to the non-bumiputeras so they too can partake in the expansion of the economic pie," he said in his 50-minute 'policy speech' as MCA president.

He stressed the non-bumiputeras, especially small-medium enterprises and the lower-income groups face all kinds of problems such as difficulties to obtain government contracts or to be a vendor company of the government-linked companies.

"They find it difficult to deal with government agencies as well as those companies where the government holds an equity. We also face obstacles in the misinterpretation of government policies by the officers," he noted.

The AGM, which was held at the MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, recorded an attendance of 99.49 percent, or 2,341 central delegates.

The MCA AGM-cum-election this time will see contest in almost all posts with the focus on the battle for presidency between Ong and vice-president Chua Jui Meng.

Results are expected after 8pm.