A total of ten nominees are going for the four vice-president positions while a record-breaking 86 candidates will be contesting the 25 central committee seats during the elections which will take place as part of an extraordinary general meeting (EGM).
Party leaders vying for top positions in the party were all quite unanimous in their talk of unity for the party's transformation.
However, the tension was evident as all the three presidential hopefuls carefully avoided each another while their supporters engaged in shouting matches and booing their respective opponents.
Although incumbent president Ong Tee Keat and former president Ong Ka Ting arrived within minutes of each other at the MCA headquarters at Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur, they steadfastly refused to acknowledge each other's presence.
As the two groups approached each other in the building, Ka Ting slowed down and continued to shake hands with his supporters, perhaps avoiding Tee Keat and allowing him to enter the nomination hall first.
While Ka Ting and former vice-president Liow Tiong Lai have announced their support for each other, former deputy president Dr Chua Soi Lek and Tee Keat have refused to divulge their alignment to any faction if any.
When asked about his running mate, Tee Keat claimed that the word had been 'lavishly abused'.
"In our system, we do not have 'running mates' but our people think that this is similar to the US system and that is not true," he added.
Chua expressed his disapproval with teaming and grouping up because he felt that it was the source of MCA's currently fractured state.
Busloads of followers
At noon, the crowd outside Wisma MCA was dominated by the Orangeshirts - Tee Keat supporters - who lined up at the entrance with banners almost blocking any entry into the building.
Their chants of Ong's name drowned out the chants of the other factions which were pale in comparison as these opposing groups amounted to no more than 20 people each.
However, 15 busloads of followers mainly from Perak later joined the crowd, causing the number of supporters for the Ka Ting-Liow group to swell up to over 400 within minutes, shortly before the arrival of the duo.
Earlier, Chua was the first to arrive and slipped into the nomination hall without much fanfare.
However, when exiting the building after filing his nomination papers, he found himself blocked by Tee Keat supporters, forcing him to take a longer route around the crowd.
Top guns confident
Asked about his prospects, Ka Ting said that he had 'a good, fighting chance' but would not take things lightly as it would be a challenging contest.
Tee Keat, expressing confidence, said that he wanted to concentrate on rehabilitating the party.
"Most importantly, I am confident that the delegates can tell the truth from the lies," he stressed.
Chua, on the other hand, in jest said that while he was confident, he was not that confident of winning the MCA presidency.
Meanwhile, vice-presidential candidate and current Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen quoted her 'report card' when asked if she was confident of being reelected.
"Since I was elected in 2008 as VP, I haven't stopped servicing the community and the country whether it is in the women's ministry or the tourism ministry. I will hope for the best and leave it to the delegates," she said.
Following is the list of candidates for the MCA party polls on March 28 after nominations closed at 5pm today:
PRESIDENT
1. Dr Chua Soi Lek
2. Ong Ka Ting
3. Ong Tee Keat (incumbent)
DEPUTY PRESIDENT
1. Kong Cho Ha
2. Liow Tiong Lai
VICE-PRESIDENT (FOUR POSTS)
1. Khoo Keok Hai (Sandakan chief)
2. Chor Chee Heung (former central committee (CC) member)
3. Ng Yen Yen (incumbent)
4. Yap Pian Hon
5. Gan Ping Sieu (incumbent CC member)
6. Yew Teong Look (Wangsa Maju chief)
7. Wong Siong Wee (Kuala Kerai chief)
8. Donald Lim Siang Chai
9. Yeow Chai Thiam (Negeri Sembilan chief)
10. Loke Yuen Yow (former deputy secretary-general)
CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBER (CC)
1. Chew Lee Giok
2. Low Chew June
3. Wong Hock Aun
4. Chan Kam
5. Tan Ken Ten
6. Heng Chai Hing
7. Koh Nai Kwong
8. Ong Soon Boon
9. Lim Eng Kok
10. Tan Chin Meng
11. Ma Kok Ben
12. Loh Seng Kok
13. Tan Cheng Liang
14. Ng Kok Kiang
15. Teah Heok Kuin
16. Gan Tian Loo
17. Thong Fah Chong
18. Chong Itt Chew
19. Chang Chun Cheun
20. Soh Thiam Hock
21. Chin Hong Vui
22. Dr Hou Kok Chung
23. Sim Eng Peng
24. Shim Tshing Nyuk@ Agnes Shim
25. Gan Hong Su
26. Tan Chong Seng
27. Leong Siew Kam
28. Lee Chee Leong
29. Yeong Chee Wei
30. Tay Puay Chuan
31. Kian Sit Har
32. Wee Jeck Seng
33. Lim Yong@ Lim Chen
34. Ooi Siew Kim
35. Dr Jeffrey Goh Sim Ik
36. El Kim Hock
37. Ng Chok Sin
38. Chuah Poh Khiang
39. Koo Chin Nam@ Kho Chin Nam
40. Hoh Khai Mun
41. Yong Chen Leong
42. Senator Heng Seai Kie
43. Ong Chong Swen@Ong Chong Siew
44. Ng See Tiong
45. Pani Choo @ Chen Poi Chu
46. Lee Hock Tow
47. Tang Heap Seng
48. Lee Hong Tee
49. Kong Sing Chu
50. Lee Ban Seng
51. Yip Chee Kiong
52. Ho Yoon Ping
53. Chang Aik Ming
54. Tan Cat Keong
55. Teh Kim Poo
56. Theng Book
57. Wong Koon Bun
58. Tee Siew Kiong
59. Ong Chen Huing
60. Toh Chin Yaw
61. Chong Ah Yit @ Choo Meng Poo
62. Tan Ah Eng
63. Ti Lian Ker
64. Ho Cheng Wang
65. Yit Lee Kok
66. Loh Koi Pin
67. Lim Teck Chong
68. Ho You Meng
69. Tan Chai Ho
70. Dr Por Choo Chor
71. Lai Yeet Fee
72. Lee Kon Yin
73. Lee Wei Kiat
74. Ong Ka Chuan
75. Liew Yuen Keong
76. Koh Chin Han
77. Koe He Choon
78. Tang See Hang
79. Low Kim Mang
80. Wong Jee Yai
81. Chee Sien Chen
82. Yoo Wie How
83. Lau Chiek Tuan
84. Pang Tsu Ming
85. Lee Cheam Choon
86. Tan Kok Hor
courtesy of Malaysiakini
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