KUALA LUMPUR - THE Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) underwent a mass leadership reshuffle yesterday, as its top two leaders and once bitter rivals Ong Tee Keat and Chua Soi Lek moved to consolidate their grip over the party.

In dramatic fashion, MCA president Ong sacked four central committee members aligned to upstart Datuk Liow Tiong Lai, whose faction had attempted to unseat him last month.

All four were appointed to the central committee by Datuk Seri Ong last year and he had the power to remove them.

They were replaced by three men close to Datuk Seri Chua, who himself was reinstated to the party's No. 2 post yesterday by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

The reconfiguration of leadership posts had been on the cards since Mr Ong and Dr Chua publicly ended their year-long feud two weeks ago.

The pair had said that they would embark on a 'greater unity plan' for MCA. It was understood that this plan would cede more power to Dr Chua and his supporters, while sacrificing those aligned to Mr Liow.

chengwee@sph.com.sg

Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.