MCA Youth's Team B members today were set to announce their mass resignations this Saturday - a move which would have sent a strong challenge to rival Team A faction - but retracted their decision after a short and chaotic discussion during a press conference.

The team set the date for the resignation when reporters attending the press conference pressed for more explicit details on the matter.

The two factions have been embroiled in a heated war of words with the team leaders challenging each other to step down to make way for fresh elections.

MCA Youth deputy secretary-general Liow Tiong Lai, supported by six central committee members, had initially set Saturday as their resignation date and challenged their rival Team A to do likewise.

Hasty decision

However, Liow reversed the decision shortly after, conceding that it had been reached too hastily.

"We would be holding a different press conference on this matter and we would announce this at another time," Liow told reporters.

Liow who is the assemblyman for Bentong was speaking at a press conference held to criticise a report furnished by the Council of Elders (COE) on the Aug 3 Youth annual general meeting.

Among the central committee members present were Liow, Fam Lee Ee, Lim Boon Tiong and also legal adviser Simon Lim.

Liow is aligned to Youth chief Ong Tee Keat, who was accused by party president Ling Liong Sik of improperly using party funds to publish a bulletin that criticised him.

"We could not help but to state that we are unable to accept the finding of the COE and we found that there were defamatory words published in the report, and the aggrieved parties should take legal action against the people who have published the report," said head of the MCA Youth Legal Bureau Lim.

The Ling-appointed COE also called for Ong's censure last Friday for purportedly being involved in the fracas that occurred during the annual general meeting.

Asked how he would be responding if Ong were to be sacked, Liow said "we will cross the bridge when we come to it".

Divided over paper purchase

The party has been deeply divided ever since its decision to buy over Nanyang Press which published major Chinese dailies Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press earlier this year.

The Team B faction led by deputy party president Lim Ah Lek opposed the purchase. The warring teams have been exchanging heated words that culminate in the infamous 'chair-throwing' incident at the Youth AGM.

The two Youth factions have been challenging each other's leaders to resign to pave for fresh elections in the central committee. Party constitution allows for fresh elections if half of the 46 committee members resign.

"If the grassroots vote against us and then we would gracefully leave but if the grassroots vote for us then we should be left to do our job without undue interference," said central committee member Fam.