KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), a long-standing component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, said it would leave the alliance if BN continues working with the Democratic Action Party (DAP) in the next general election.
The DAP is a component party of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition – and together with BN and other parties – forms the unity government.
At its annual general meeting on Sunday (Dec 7), MCA passed a resolution to quit BN and set its own course should any BN component party work with DAP.
This comes less than a month after another BN component party – the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) – passed a similar resolution to exit the coalition, saying that the partnership no longer provides space for the party to contribute meaningfully to national development.
BN comprises the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) as its lead party alongside MCA, MIC and the United Sabah People’s Party.
“If any BN component (party) cooperates with DAP in any form during the upcoming general election, our party will independently determine a new direction,” said MCA president Wee Ka Siong, as quoted by local news outlet the New Straits Times (NST).
The party could not work with DAP because of major differences in ideology between the two parties and such cooperation would signal that the “BN spirit has completely vanished”, he added.
Wee said that MCA’s elected representatives had a responsibility to honour the mandate received under the BN banner, even as questions arose over the party’s future, adding that his party will “at least complete the current term”.
He also claimed that the unity government had introduced “too many policies that hurt the people”, creating resentment and putting BN at risk, NST reported.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-mca-barisan-nasional-wee-ka-siong-dap-5567306
