MCA pledges loyalty to Barisan, will stay with coalition, says Dr Wee

PETALING JAYA: MCA will stay loyal to Barisan Nasional as one of its founding members even if other component parties leave the coalition, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

In a Keluar Sekejap podcast episode on Tuesday (May 7), the MCA president said Barisan must also continue to discuss via consensus any decision it faces moving forward, including for the next general election.

He said no party must continue to take unilateral actions without reaching a consensus within Barisan.

“Don’t forget Barisan is made up of several component parties, not one single person deciding for all. In Barisan, there must be consensus,” he told hosts Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan.

When Shahril pointed out that certain Umno members have been agitating for MCA to leave Barisan, Dr Wee admitted that those individuals had attacked his party when MCA spoke up against DAP.

“There are some individuals, I will not say their names here,” he told Shahril.

“When I asked the Umno president, what is his stance when he hears people in his party speaking like this, he said don’t layan (ignore them). Only the party president can make the decision for the party. So, I assume those voices are from people who are not relevant.”

When asked further about the continuing strife between two Chinese-based political parties within the same coalition, Dr Wee said Umno must begin to think in the long term beyond the next general election.

“All members of Barisan move as one. Umno has to decide whether its coalition with its current friends can bring it to a higher level or not. If they lose badly in the GE16, will DAP still want them around?

To Khairy’s question of what happens if Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi sticks to working with Pakatan Harapan, Dr Wee said MCA had three options, the first of which is to remain in Barisan and fight on.

“Secondly, If among us, there is a component party that wants to go with someone else, MCA will stay on in Barisan. It is fated and we cannot do anything about them if our friend is no longer loyal to Barisan,” he said.

Lastly, he said Barisan could be opened up, starting from zero, going solo, and negotiating with other parties.

“We will find new partners. Who knows KJ or Shahril Hamdan will form new parties. We have friends who are more progressive-minded, moderate, and wanted by the rakyat. I feel this political situation is dynamic.”

“But at this moment, our loyalty is still with Barisan Nasional,” he said.