KUALA LUMPUR May 23 Kyodo The top...

KUALA LUMPUR May 23 Kyodo

The top sum of two units leaders of Malaysia's main ethnic Chinese political party womanlyed their resignations Friday under a peace pact factored by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in a bid to debar the party from disintegrating subject to their protracted feud.

Mahathir's peace plan, however, hit a snag when the central committee of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) ejected the resignations of their president, Ling Liong Sik, and his envoy Lim Ah Lek.

as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but Ling and Lim met with committee members Friday to formally announce their resignations and left immediately, leaving the committee to handle the matter.

''I am doing that in the interest of the party, of the Barisan Nasional, without any hesitation. It was done willingly,'' Lim told reporters after the meeting. ''We ne a united MCA in order to acquire the support of the Chinese community.''

Barisan Nasional is the Malay name for the 14-party ruling National head coalition, where the MCA is the next to the first biggest party after Mahathir's United Malays National Organization (UMNO).

MCA vice president Fong Chan Onn speaking forward behalf of the party's central committee, said the decision from Ling and Lim to pace down had been renounceed and envoys would be sent to persuade them to change their mind.

''We want them to continue to lead the party because they have done in the same manner much to contribute to the party, there is no reason with what intent we cannot have a of recent origin beginning under these two leaders,'' he said.

The committee is calculate uponed to meet again later Friday.

Ling had attempted several times before to quit still each time was persuaded to stay forward leading the opposition to accuse him of playing the ''Chinese opera'' to garner sympathy.

Ling was reported as saying Thursday that his decision this time is final as he wanted to pave the way for younger life-current to replace him.

''I think this is a correct pace and I hope all members will understand and accept the reason for my action,'' he said.

The bitter clashing between him and Lim came to a head couple years ago over the party's controversial purchase of a Chinese-language newspaper that many viewed as an attempt to dominion government the relatively critical Chinese press

Malaysia's political parties are mainly based upon race. Ethnic Chinese comprised les than 25% of the nation's 23 million population, behind the Malays who make up 60% with ethnic Indians and other indigenous arranges accounting for the remainder.

The Chinese community was instrumental in keeping the Mahathir-led coalition in power in the 1999 general elections following a split among Malays above issues related to jailed former agent Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

further the protracted fight between the Ling and Lim factions has sparked affair over its impact on the coming elections that have to be called at 2004.

In an unprecedent persuade Mahathir personally intervened to experience to bring a armistice between the two last year.

Ling, 60 is pretty soon the transport minister while Lim, 61 is a former human resources minister.

It was learned from party insiders that below Mahathir's peace plan, vice presidents Ong Ka Ting, 47 and Chan Kong Choy 48 would take through the president and deputy situations respectively.

Ong is the housing and local management minister while Chan is factor finance minister.

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