Counting begins in MCA elections, results out 6pm

The election for MCA's top leadership began this afternoon with delegates casting their votes.

Speaker Yik Phooi Hong took the chair at 11.30am to announce that the polls would start and briefed the delegates on the procedures.

An hour later, the delegates began casting their votes to elect the president, deputy president, four vice-presidents and 25 Central Committee (CC) members.

Yik said a total of 2,352 or 98.66 percent of the 2,385 delegates eligible to vote had registered, making it the highest ever turnout in the party's history.

Voting at the San Choon Hall was carried outunder tight security with delegates  required to show their membership cards to collect the ballot paper.

The results are expected to be known earliest at 6pm.

A total of 72 candidates are vying for 31 various key party positions. The last polls were held in October, 2010.

Incumbent president Chua Soi Lek had decided not to defend his post.

The election sees a three-cornered tussle for the presidency with former president Ong Tee Keat facing deputy president Liow Tiong Lai and vice-president Gan Ping Sieu.

For the post of deputy president, the party's former youth leader Wee Ka Siong will be in a straight fight with vice-president, Donald Lim Siang Chai.

Nine candidates are vying for the four vice-president seats while 58 are going for the 25 CC seats.

- Bernama