KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA will remain in the Barisan Nasional (BN) to safeguard multiracialism within the coalition.
The party’s central committee came to the decision in a five-hour meeting here today.
Party president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong reiterated that the MCA would remain in BN as a means to prevent race relations from deteriorating and have the Malays pitted against the non-Malays.
He said the party acknowledged that some people could perceive the decision as “politically incorrect” and that it could be detrimental to the its popularity.
“But the MCA believes that to create a more democratic, benign, diverse and moderate political environment, this is a choice we have to make,“ he said at a press conference after the meeting.
However, he also reminded Umno that although the party had pursued and then formed a partnership with PAS, it must not forget BN’s code of consensus and diversity.
He said Umno needed to be mindful of the fundamental differences that existed between PAS on one side and the MCA and MIC on the other for the benefit of the coalition.
“We chose to stay with BN to strengthen multiracial cooperation, and efforts to ensure diversity remains the crux of the opposition’s (struggle),“ he added.
