KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 (Bernama) -- Wanita MCA secretary-general Senator Heng Seai Kie is expected to announce her candidacy for her preferred post in the party elections, soon.

Asked if she would contest a Central Committee (CC) post during the March 28 party polls, Heng said: "I have yet to make a final decision. I will make the announcement in a day or two."

"Everyone is actually weighing the situation, once we have identified the best option, we will make an announcement," she told reporters here today.

Heng also welcomed suggestion from some delegates at the grassroots who suggested that immediate past President Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting to make a comeback and contest in the party elections.

"I feel Ong Ka Ting and other former leaders still have an immense love for the party although they have decided to quit their posts. We welcome the readiness of the former president and others for the betterment of the party," she said.

The MCA party election was called when 22 members of the CC, including Deputy President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and four vice presidents tendered their resignation, paving the way for a new election.

Nomination date has been set for March 22.

Meanwhile, in Johor, a group of MCA grassroots leaders, namely eight division heads here urged former president Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting to come out of retirement and lead the party since the party was facing turbulent times and a leadership crisis.

"There is no better candidate than Ong Ka Ting to lead the party now. Therefore, we are going to nominate him for the president's post in the coming party elections.

"We have not spoken to him yet, nor have we got his consent. But we will speak to him tomorrow and we are confident he will answer the call of duty. Ong's leadership qualities and his neutrality by not being aligned to any of the warring parties within the present MCA leadership, makes him the perfect candidate.

He will stabilize the party and gain the much needed credibility to face the next general elections," said Teng Boon Soon, the spokesman for the group, here today.

Teng, who is the Member of Parliament for Tebrau and a former Deputy Minister, also urged all MCA members to unite behind the proposal to ask Ka Ting to come out retirement and lead the party again.

"Of course we cannot stop others from contesting the president's post but we believe Ong will be able to unite the party not others," he added.