KOTA KINABALU: "There has never been any contemplation (for me) to call it quits".

This was MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat's response when asked on the possibility of him and former  president Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting reaching an agreement that one of them would pull out from the contest for the party's top post at its polls on March 28.

KUALA LUMPUR: Anxiety is building up in the run-up to the nomination for the MCA polls on Monday.

Leaders and aspirants have been criss-crossing the country to meet the delegates and seek their support, and most crucially, the very much needed endorsement for the posts they intend to contest.

Speculations and hypothesis are swirling and fast forming on who is in whose camp.

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said the new party leaders to be voted in at the party elections on March 28 would need to work hard to regain the confidence of the people, especially the Chinese community.

Ong who yesterday announced that he would be defending his post, admitted that the leadership crisis in MCA had affected the people and voters' trust and confidence in the party.

KUALA LUMPUR: Embattled MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said he will announce his next move in due course in the wake of the shocking en bloc resignations of 21 elected central committee (CC) members to force fresh party polls.

"I would like to thank my supporters and well-wishers for the calls, emails and text messages for their words of encouragement. I will meet my supporters and team in due course and will announce a decision in due course," he wrote in his blog.

IPOH: The Perak government has urged Railway Asset Management Corporation (PAK) to review the RM38 million for the release of railway land between Taiping and Kuala Sepetang.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said PAK should consider giving the 94.5 hectare land for free as it had not been used for railway operation since 1941.

"The amount asked is exhorbitant, especially when the land is for squatters, not commercial purposes. We may consider a land swap," he told reporters after visiting a pomelo farm at Kampung Rata, Tambun near here today.

KUALA LUMPUR - It appears that hopes for fresh polls in the MCA are dashed now that the all powerful central committee (CC) has decided not to have any.

It's game over for those who had harboured high hopes for this route to be taken to resolve the leadership crisis in the 61-year-old party.

Even though technically fresh polls still can be held if two thirds of the CC were to resign, the sentiment for this has somewhat been lost. It was very simple why the plan stalled: not many CC members were keen to relinquish their lofty positions.

KUALA LUMPUR: The public transportation system, especially bus services in Malaysia, has long suffered the negative perception of being dubbed the 'poor man's' mode of travel.

It has also been made worse by the inefficient services rendered by the operators.

However, this image is set for an overhaul, following the government's plan to transform the system in the Klang Valley, for a start.

In an interview, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat told Bernama that congestion of city roads was identified as one of the main reasons of the poor services.

KUALA LUMPUR: Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat today expressed sadness over the unnecessary loss of lives and injuries in a tragic bus accident which claimed 10 lives along the North-South Expressway near Ipoh today.

Ong, who is currently overseas, extended his condolences to the families of those who died in the accident, in a statement issued by his office.

The MCA president said he had also directed Perak MCA to render any immediate assistance required by the victims.

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has dismissed the 1128 Declaration mooted yesterday by supporters of MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai in wanting fresh party polls to be held within 60 days.

Ong said any call for a fresh election must follow the party's constitution and be referred to MCA's central committee (CC).

"What is important is the constitutional provisions must be followed," he told reporters after attending an Aidiladha celebration in his parliamentary constituency of Pandan here today.

MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has defended his decision to reshuffle the presidential council, saying he needed a team that was 100 per cent behind the party's "greater unity plan" (GUP) to restore the party in time for the general election.

"We can ill-afford to have leaders who are against the GUP - much less, those out to derail a plan which had received the blessings of the prime minister - to be in the MCA presidential council," he wrote on his blog today.