PETALING JAYA: MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek chaired the party's central commitee (CC) meeting today that saw the feuding factions in the party halting on their verbal war.

Party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat had called in sick at the eleventh hour, giving the chance to Dr Chua to 'use his diplomacy to stabilise the party.'

A source said it would be quite difficult for Ong, who is the target for vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai's resentment, to satisfy the faction if he chaired the meeting.

"Being the main factor of the feud, it would not be easy for Ong to explain his rationale behind all the moves he had made thus far aimed at uniting the party.

"However, Dr Chua, a veteran and seasoned politician, would know how to handle such a situation and after the meeting this afternoon, Dr Chua had truly shown his matle," the source said.

The source also said Ong's move to let Dr Chua chair today's meeting had, in a subtle way, forced Liow and his faction to recognise Dr Chua as the party's number two man, whose position was also questioned by the faction.

Today's meeting decided to postpone the party's annual general assembly (AGM) scheduled for this Saturday to a later date.

At the same time, a special committee to oversee a fresh party poll has been set up headed by Dr Chua.

The central committee that met this afternoon to seek a solution to end the internal feud the party is currently facing had, however, not decided on a specific date when the AGM would be held.

Dr Chua told reporters after the meeting that the postponement was not against the party constitution so long as the party headquarters inform the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

"The unanimous decision was made not for the sake of anyone but for party stability," Dr Chua told reporters after the meeting.

The committee had also not decided whether the next AGM would see a fresh poll.

Liow and his faction that included Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong and Wanita chief Datuk Paduka Chiew Mei Fun had demanded the party poll to be held within 60 days, meaning latest by end of January.

With today's CC decisions, MCA is set to have a period of stability while the special committee plans for a fresh election.

The party leadership has come under pressure from Prime Minister who is also the Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to end the feud fast to allow for the coalition to recover from its weak position since after the March 2008 general election.

Najib had wanted the second biggest party in the coalition that represents the Chinese community to recover fast in gaining back the trust and confidence of Malaysians and the community.

So far, the backbone of the coalition Umno had regain its footing when it underwent changes in leadership with other democratic means of election being planned.