Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has accepted Dr Ling Liong Sik's resignation as transport minister today.

According to media reports, Ling said his application for a 30-day leave starting tomorrow was also accepted by the premier.

The 60-year-old politician, who relinquished his position as MCA president last week after 17 years at the helm, will leave for Melbourne, Australia tonight.

The new MCA president O­ng Ka Ting, who is also the housing and local government minister, will oversee the transport portfolio until a new minister is announced.

Earlier, o­ng and Human Resources Minister Dr Fong Chan o­nn met with Ling at his office in Putrajaya for about 30 minutes.

Crisis-ridden

Ling, who has been transport minister since 1986, was a central figure in the internal crisis that has rocked MCA since 2001.

The country's second largest political party split into two camps - Team A led by Ling and Team B by his deputy-cum- nemesis Lim Ah Lek.

The public bickering forced Mahathir to broker a peace plan and last Friday, the two top leaders in the party stepped down.

Ling's protege o­ng became president while another vice-president Chan Kong Choy - who is aligned to Lim - was appointed as the number two.

Apart from the troubles in MCA, Ling was also accused of corruption and abuse of power by a former protege, businessman Soh Chee Wen.

The latter, who returned to the country last year after fleeing a defrauding charge, also lodged reports with the police and Anti-Corruption Agency against the minister.

Soh (photo) also sued Ling for the money which he had allegedly loaned to the latter's son to purchase shares in a company.

Ling, whose relationship with Soh soured after the 1997 financial crisis, has denied the charges.

Earlier this year, Ling said he had submitted his resignation as transport minister in August, 2001 and Mahathir was still deciding o­n it.

The former Royal Military College student said he would continuing serving the premier as long as he is required to do so.