Transport Minister Dr Ling Liong Sik today reiterated that the question of his ministerial post is entirely up to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to decide.

"When the prerogative is up to someone, he has the absolutely prerogative in making the decision," Ling told reporters at the MCA headquarters in Kuala Lumpur this morning.

The former MCA chief revealed earlier this year that he tendered his resignation to the premier last August. Mahathir, however, has yet to accept the resignation.

He also said that he would not contest the next general election, due in November 2004.

Ling - who has helmed the second largest ruling component party MCA for 17 years - resigned with his deputy Lim Ah Lek from their party posts yesterday.

He said he resigned as MCA president "with tremendous happiness and gratitude in my heart, no regret".

"The most important is the successor, when you have the succession in place, then it is time to go," he stressed.

Party vice-presidents o­ng Ka Ting and Chan Kong Choy were unanimously elected by the party's central committee as the new president and deputy president respectively. They will hold the posts until the next party election in 2005.

Commercial offences

Ling had earlier pledged not to resign because his term o­nly expires in 2005 when he responded to Lim's challenge that he (Lim) would contest against him for the presidency.

Ling denied today his resignation was due to pressures correlated to his earlier pledge.

"I said my term will expire in 2005 but that does not means that I will be serving until 2005...my o­nly pressure was they don't let me go," he replied.

On the power transition yesterday, Ling revealed that it was o­nly planned "one or two months ago".

Asked o­n his future plan, the former MCA chief said he preferred to "enjoy his sense of relief" first.

The transport minister is also being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Agency for alleged involvement in several commercial offences.

On Jan 24, a foreign investor lodged a police report against Ling, his eldest son Hee Leong and high-profile businessman Soh Chee Wen, claiming the trio owed him RM100 million from a business deal that fell through in 1997.

Soh, a former ally of Ling, also served a writ of summons at the Kuala Lumpur High Court to Ling and Hee Leong o­n January in a bid to recover his losses of RM149.2 million that he lent to Linksun Avenue (a company owned by Hee Leong).

The businessman accused Ling of intending to create a business empire through his son by using his political influence and position in the government.

Ling has remained silent over those allegations but Umno leaders have repeatedly asked for his explanation, saying those allegations could hurt the coalition in the coming general election.

With Ling at the press conference today were o­ng and other Team A leaders. Team B leaders were conspicuously absent.

Resignations rejected

Meanwhile, o­ng have rejected the resignations of three central committee members following Ling's resignation.

The three are party secretary-general Dr Ting Chew Peh, treasurer-general William Chek and national organising secretary O­ng Ka Chuan.

According to the MCA constitution, the three post are appointed by the president from the 41-committee members.

The three said since they were appointed by Ling, they should also "follow Ling's footstep" and relinquished their positions.

"As the new president, I will re-appoint them," O­ng said.