KOTA KINABALU, March 20 (Bernama) -- "There has never been any contemplation (for me) to call it quits."

This was MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat's response when asked on the possibility of him and former president Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting reaching an agreement that one of them would pull out from the contest for the party's top post at its polls on March 28.

Asked to comment on Ka Ting's statement in a television interview last night, where Ka Ting had said that he did not rule out such a possibility before nomination day on Monday, Tee Keat said, "I don't know what he said, I was then not watching TV, but suffice to say I'm appreciative of any kind deeds at resolving the party crisis."

"But so far to my understanding and also for your information, as far as I'm concerned, there has never been any contemplation (on my part) to call it quits. And so far nobody has approach me for anything," he told reporters after a meeting with MCA delegates from Sabah's west coast division, here today.

On Ka Ting's claims that MCA was still an organised and united party when he left it for retirement in 2008, Tee Keat said the problems he inherited when taking took over the president's post was "common knowledge."

"He (Ka Ting) can make such a claim, but the fact remains that the disciplinary case involving Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek, in fact that was the legacy I inherited, because that case was supposed to be resolved during his tenure and of course when I had no choice but to take it over, so I had to go by the rules and do the due diligence.

"Of course, the unprecedented defeat during the 2008 general election... That was a time a lot of people including candidates and myself felt that there were issues like Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) that was a timebomb, that we failed to address at the height of the election... Ka ting was still the president then," he added.

Tee Keat said he mentioned this with no intention to issue or throw any innuendos or to implicate anybody, but just wanted to put the facts and the record straight.

Meanwhile, former MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, when met by reporters on arrival at the Kota Kinabalu Airport here today, made it clear that he would not be too quick to make any announcements without getting feedback from the central delegates.

"If you look at the history of MCA, every time there's a contest, I will always be one of those people last to announce.

"I want to get delegates' input before I make my final decision. This is to respect the central delegates," he said.

He added that Kota Kinabalu was his last stop in meeting central delegates and that he would be making his announcement "when the time is right."

Asked on speculation that he might go up against incumbent Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and Tee Keat's predecessor Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting for the president's post, Chua said, "Nobody can stop people from speculating. I'm looking at various options (posts to contest)."

Chua was also asked whether there were individuals who approached him to make a compromise regarding his possible candidacy for the president's post.

"Nobody has approached me. Even just now I met Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat as I arrived, we exchanged greetings.

"He asked how things were going with me. I said OK," he said.