Embattled MCA youth chief Ong Tee Keat is 'missing in action' today after an emergency 'secret' meeting with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Kedah.

Ong met Mahathir for 10 minutes at the Sultan Abdul Halim airport in Jitra, Kedah yesterday at 3pm.

China Press today quoted Ong as saying that the two did not discuss the MCA crisis. Instead, the party Youth leader said the meeting with the Umno president was regarding certain 'private matters'.

The daily however added that Ong refused to elaborate further on what had transpired at the meeting.

The daily also quoted Kedah MCA chairperson Beh Heng Siong as saying, "we were not informed (of the 'secret meeting') beforehand, and I do not know why Mr Ong is here suddenly".

Beh was appointed by Ling to replace former state chief and potential challenger for presidency Chua Jui Meng.

Ong 'no show'

Yesterday, Ong hastily canceled a press conference scheduled at 11am at his ministry.

Reporters who turned up were told that Ong was in Dewan Negara to answer a number of questions relating to his ministry.

The Youth chief had apparently flew from Kuala Lumpur to Penang before proceeding to Jitra.

Ong was reported to have arrived at the airport in a Penang state government's official limousine and he was accompanied by Mahathir's recently appointed press secretary Cheng Kee Chien.

According to China Press, Kedah chief minister Syed Razak Syed Azman and former chief minister Osman Aroff were present at the meeting between Mahathir and Ong.

When contacted, party vice-president Chua appeared to be 'in the dark' about the meeting.

His press secretary, Woon Yong Teai, told malaysiakini that "he (Chua) does not know anything. Why don't you ask Ong?"

However, Ong could not be contacted all day today.

Ong's ally, Youth secretary-general Liow Tiong Lai had expressed 'concerned' over the meeting.

He told malaysiakini he was surprised after reading about the matter in the newspapers.

"I am also anxious to know what had happened," Liow said, adding that he had tried unsuccessfully to get in touch with Ong.

Liow however was confident that Mahathir was supportive of Ong as "we have not received any bad news yet".

Warring teams

MCA has been deeply divided in two factions - Team A and Team B - since its decision to buy Nanyang Press which published major Chinese dailies Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press earlier this year.

Team A is led by party president Ling Liong Sik, which backed the takeover. The warring teams have been exchanging heated words that culminated in the chair-throwing fracas 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. The party constitution allows for fresh elections if half of the 46 committee members resign.

A party inquiry has held Ong, who is linked to Team B, responsible for the fracas in the AGM and it is expected that the Youth chief could either be suspended or sacked when MCA central committee meets next week.

Mahathir's stand on the worsening MCA crisis will have some bearing on the fate of both factions.