Former MCA vice-president Chua Jui Meng has decided to join the fray for the party's top job, setting the stage for a potentially fiery clash against vice-president and Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat.

mca party election chua jui meng 010705 piognant According to Bernama , the former health minister will announce his candidacy for the MCA presidency in the next two to three days.

"Yes, he has made up his mind on the position he is going to contest. He will announce it just before the Kedah state convention (scheduled for Friday in Alor Star)," an aide was quoted as saying by Bernama .

This will be Chua's second stab at the presidency, having lost to current president Ong Ka Ting in the 2005 party elections. Ka Ting, who is not seeking re-election this time around, beat Chua in a straight fight by a majority of 696 votes.

Unity candidate

The 64-year-old Chua, who has admitted it will not be easy to make a comeback to top-level party politics, retained his Bakri division chairman's post in July.

A career politician who has been in politics for 40 years, the suave Chua is likely to offer himself as a "unity candidate" - an acceptable alternative to members said to be sharply divided into two camps - one aligned to Ka Ting and the other to former president Dr Ling Liong Sik.

To date, only Tee Keat has announced his decision to contest for the number one post.