It's confirmed. The much anticipated contest for the MCA president's post in the forthcoming party polls is to materialise with vice-president Chua Jui Meng today offering himself to take on incumbent Ong Ka Ting.

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Chua confirmed months of speculations that he will go for broke by challenging Ong.

"Today I announce that I will offer myself to stand for the post of MCA president," Chua told a packed press conference in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon, followed by a round of applause from his supporters.

Ong was 'offered' the presidency post in a compromise in 2003 following a protracted leadership squabble between Team A and Team B in the party.

Chua, who aligned himself to Team B, was strongly tipped as a possible challenger to the then MCA president Dr Ling Liong Sik but the contest never took place following the peace plan initiated by then premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Last year, he had been dropped unceremoniously as health minister despite retaining his parliamentary seat. He was replaced by Dr Chua Soi Lek, a known ally of Ong.

'New visions'

Returned unopposed as the Bakri division chief in Johor last month, Chua, in an exclusive interview with malaysiakini recently, expressed his wish to continue playing a vital role in the party.

"It is obvious that only the party's president can effect fundamental changes and transformation for the party, its culture, its direction and to provide new visions for this century. I promise that I will do all these," he said.

Asked if his contest would jeopardise his relationship with Ong, he said, "It is a friendly fight'. On the performance of the current leadership, Chua said the matter was not up to him.

"It is not for me to rate the person against whom I stand against for the party elections. It would not be fair. I think the central delegates are the best person to rate their performance," he added.

He also denied that he has teamed up with other party leaders to consolidate his position.

"No. There is no teaming up. This is an engagement that I will do on my own. I will take on the presidency against all candidates that wish to stand for that post," he said, adding that party members should abandon the 'menu politics' of teaming up.

He revealed that before the party's central elections in 1999, he was asked to fight for deputy presidency.

"I refused because it would not have been a right decision. The deputy president then was a much more senior than I was. He was held in high regard and esteem by party members," he said.

Support from members

On his decision to go for broke, Chua said all major decisions in life '.. must be correctly made at the right time and in the right season'.

"I have made many major decisions in my life, but I have never felt so convinced as I do today as to the correctness of my decision, its time and its season," he said, adding members' support and feedback were the two main reasons that spurred him.

"Recent events that have taken place in the party has also contributed to the decision I now make," he said, declining to extrapolate.

He said in 2003, despite expectations from the grassroots that the party's new president and deputy president would be elected by an extraordinary general meeting of central delegates, it was not so.

"Therefore, the coming party elections are critical for both party and community being the first MCA central elections in the 21st century. Expectations are high," he said.

The first party elections in six years - slated for Aug 20 - will see strong contest for all key positions.

In the deputy presidency contest,Chan Tse Yuen, a former MCA Youth deputy chief in the early 1990s has unexpectedly announced that he will challenge current deputy president Chan Kong Choy.

As for the four vice-presidency posts, the eight candidates so far are incumbent Dr Fong Chan Onn, Chua Soi Lek, Fu Ah Kiow, Ong Tee Keat (appointed vice president as Youth chief), Deputy Treasurer-General Donald Lim Siang Chai, committee members Chor Chee Heung and Tan Chai Ho and former party vice president Yap Pian Hon.