Newly-elected MCA president Ong Tee Keat today retained his silence on the on-going speculations that the party's former secretary-general Ong Ka Chuan has resigned from his ministerial post.

Met in the Parliament today, Tee Keat, who is the transport minister, refused to confirm or deny the status of Ka Chuan's resignation as was widely speculated in Chinese newspaper Sin Chew Daily today.

ong ka chuan and ong tee keat mca According to the newspaper, quoting unnamed sources, Minister of Housing and Local Government Ka Chuan has met the party president and submitted his resignation letter after being defeated in his bid for deputy presidency in the recent party elections.

Former vice-president Dr Chua Soi Lek won the post of deputy president in a three-way race last month.

An unnamed Ka Chuan's aide confirmed that the resignation letter had been submitted to the party boss. He told Bernama that the letter was "undated".

It is not known whether Ka Chuan had sent a similar resignation letter to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi - the only person who can accept his resignation. Abdullah is currently on an official overseas trip to central Asia.

It was widely tipped that Tee Keat would be submitting a new list of MCA ministers to Abdullah to reflect the new party leadership and that Ka Chuan could be dropped from the list.

"I have not made any statement on the rumour and so far I have not produced the (ministerial recommendation) list to the prime minister.

"Whether or not that person (referring to Ka Chuan) tenders his resignation is not important," he added.

When asked when he would submit the recommendation list, he replied, "We will cross the bridge (when we come to it)."

Ka Chuan could not be contacted as he is away in Iran on an official ministerial visit and will only be back later this week.

Ka Chuan was only appointed as a minister after the March general election. He was the MCA secretary-general and Perak state chief until before the recently held party polls.

ong ka ting pc 300805 ka ting and ka chuan He stood and won the Tanjung Malim parliamentary seat in the general election, after which he was nominated by the immediate past party president Ong Ka Ting ( photo, left ) to be a minister.

He replaced his younger brother, Ka Ting, in the Housing Ministry following the latter's decision not to be a minister.

‘ Not under pressure'

According the Sin Chew Daily report today, Ka Chuan's ‘resignation' was submitted voluntarily and not made under pressure from any party.

It however did not mention when the resignation letter was submitted.

Ka Chuan had previously said that he would leave it to the party leadership to determine his cabinet position.

His resignation is seen by party critics as an attempt to fish for sympathy from the grassroots.

MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong, when met at Parliament, also refused to comment on the said resignation and described it as nothing but a speculation.

"I do not know anything about it (the resignation) and I do not want to comment on rumours and something based on speculation that has yet to be confirmed," said the deputy education minister.

He also revealed that he had just found out about the latest development from his friends.