KUALA LUMPUR: MCA has stated that it will remain in Barisan Nasional (BN) to maintain multiracial cooperation but Umno has decided that it, too, deserves credit for the Chinese-based party’s decision.
Padang Rengas MP Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz (pix) claimed today that MCA chose to remain in BN because it had confidence in Umno’s strength.
At the same time, Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob claimed that MCA believed his party’s decision to work closely with PAS would strengthen racial unity.
In response to MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong’s statement that MCA would remain in BN to maintain multiracial cooperation, Nazri claimed the party only decided to “stick together (in BN)” because Umno is strong.
Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday, Nazri pointed out that Umno was still the strongest party in BN in terms of the number of seats it had in the Dewan Rakyat.
However, he chose to ignore MCA’s concerns about PAS, make it clear that Umno was going ahead with its political cooperation with the Islamist party.
“I believe the Umno-PAS ties are getting stronger, as seen in the Cameron Highlands and Semenyih by-elections. Umno will ensure that the ties will last until the next general elections,” he added.
Sabri said MCA was confident that Umno’s cooperation with PAS would not pose a threat to the Chinese-based party. “In fact MCA believes it will enhance unity among the races,” he said. “MCA realises the importance of defending racial harmony”.
He said the other BN parties should help MCA, which won only one seat in the last general elections, rise again. BN now comprises only three parties, the third one being MIC.
“I am sure they have a comeback strategy but as a component party we will assist the MCA,” he added.
Semberong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein expressed relief that MCA had chosen to stay, saying that it was important to look ahead for the future of BN.
“We have to work out what the people want, (to decipher) the message that they have given BN in the last general elections and several by-elections,” he said.
Just two weeks ago, the MCA and MIC had announced that they were “moving on” from BN to explore new alliances.
They had accused Umno of violating consensus in the coalition, particularly for appointing Nazri as its secretary-general.
Umno deputy president Datuk Mohamad Hasan subsequently convened a BN supreme council meeting, its first since the coalition’s defeat in the May 8, 2018 elections.
