MCA akan kekal dalam BN, kata Zahid Hamidi

PENGERUSI Barisan Nasional (BN), Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yakin MCA akan kekal dalam gabungan itu walaupun kemungkinan berlakunya gerakan dalam parti terbabit melakukan usaha berkenaan.

Beliau yang juga Timbalan Perdana Menteri berkata, ini kerana MCA dan MIC adalah pemangkin kepada kewujudan BN.

“Tak ada (MCA akan keluar BN), (jika berlaku) saya akan diberitahu sendiri oleh Presiden MCA (Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong).

“Mungkin ada gerakan (pihak tertentu) yang dilakukan, saya pun ada dikhabarkan begitu, tetapi keputusan Jawatankuasa Kerja Pusat (CWC) mereka tidak begitu, Insya-Allah mereka tetap bersama dengan kita (BN),” katanya.

Beliau yang juga Presiden UMNO berkata demikian selepas merasmikan Mesyuarat Perwakilan Serentak UMNO Bahagian Port Dickson, semalam.

Ahmad Zahid diminta mengulas laporan sebuah akhbar mengenai mesyuarat perwakilan bahagian MCA yang sedang berlangsung dijangka akan menentukan sama ada parti itu akan mengambil keputusan untuk berpisah dengan UMNO pada perhimpunan agung tahunan parti yang dijangka pada Oktober tahun ini.

Isu itu dikatakan timbul berikutan meningkatnya rasa tidak puas hati dalam kalangan pemimpin akar umbi parti terbabit yang mendakwa parti itu dipinggirkan UMNO.

Ahmad Zahid berkata, pada Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU) ke-14 dan ke-15 lalu, MCA mengalami permasalahan kerana mereka tidak dapat mengekalkan kerusi yang sedia ada.

Katanya, UMNO perlu menjaga rakan dalam parti komponen itu dengan baik dan membantu jika mereka menghadapi masalah.

“UMNO mesti menjaga rakan-rakan kita jika mereka ada masalah. Ini adalah semangat BN yang harus kita perkukuhkan dan saya yakin rakan kita akan terus bersama dengan gagasan BN ini,” katanya.

 

MCA will remain in BN, says Zahid Hamidi

BARISAN Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has expressed confidence that MCA will remain in the coalition, despite speculation of an internal push for the party to leave.

Zahid, who is also Umno president, said MCA and MIC are key components in the formation of BN.

“There’s no such thing (as MCA leaving BN). If it were happening, I’d hear it directly from MCA president (Datuk Seri) Wee Ka Siong.

“Perhaps there are movements by certain quarters; I’ve been told about that, but the decision of their central committee suggests otherwise.

“God willing, they will remain with us in BN,” said the deputy prime minister after launching the Port Dickson Umno division delegates meeting on Sunday.

Zahid was commenting on a newspaper report regarding ongoing MCA divisional meetings, which are expected to determine whether the party will sever ties with Umno during its annual general assembly scheduled for October.

The issue reportedly stems from growing dissatisfaction among MCA grassroots leaders, who feel the party has been sidelined by Umno.

Zahid said MCA had struggled in the 14th and 15th general elections, having failed to retain their seats.

He said Umno must treat its component party allies with respect and offer assistance when needed.

“Umno must support our friends when they’re in trouble.

“This is the spirit of BN that we must strengthen, and I am confident our partners will continue to stand with the BN coalition,” he said.

On a separate matter, Zahid, who is also the rural and regional development, affirmed that BN will continue using the ‘dacing’ (scales) symbol in the next general election (GE16).

“I have said that for GE16, we will continue to use the scales symbol, and BN component parties will be allocated seats to contest.

“Though the election is still far off, that is the decision we have made,” he said.

On another matter, Zahid said the opposition’s planned ‘Turun Anwar’ rally, scheduled for July 26, would not succeed.

He said the plan reveals the true colours of the opposition, who had previously engaged in political betrayal and are attempting to do so again.

“So we need not worry about that kind of behaviour.

“The public need not be alarmed by such efforts, God willing, the current government will not collapse just because of a demonstration organised by Pas Youth.

“I think it’s easy to criticise, but doing the actual work is the hard part,” he said.

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