KUALA LUMPUR – Barisan Nasional (BN) appears to be on the brink of a full-blown internal crisis as Umno leaders hit back at fellow component party MCA after the latter called for Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s resignation.
Tension is already high within BN, with coalition members at odds over Zahid’s decision to negotiate and consider a pact with Pakatan Harapan (PH) to form the new government.
Earlier today, MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon accused Zahid, who is BN chairman and Umno president, of going against the collective decision made by the coalition Supreme Council and for not communicating its resolution “correctly” to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
He also urged Zahid to step down immediately, calling the Umno leader as being unfit to lead BN.
Selangor BN communications chief Datuk Seri Jamal Yunos said MCA had become irrelevant after failing to secure the Chinese votes during the recently concluded 15th general election.
He then proposed for BN to be dissolved altogether and for Umno to move forward as an individual party, while accusing MCA of riding on Umno’s back.
“There's no point in being a component member but acting as if they (MCA) are the ‘abang long’ (big brother) and being big-headed, when they are actually nothing.
“They only dare to contest in constituencies with a Malay majority. If they are courageous enough, contest in Bukit Bintang or Seputeh, then you can call yourself a representative of the Chinese.
“If you only win votes from the Malays, why bother representing (the Chinese)? MCA is supposed to represent the Chinese, while MIC the Indians and Umno the Malays.”
Jamal described Chong's statement earlier today as “very rude” and instead urged the MCA leader to resign himself.
“I also ask the BN chairman to issue a letter to sack him (Chong). There’s no use for MCA to be a component of BN, and BN needs to be dissolved,” he told reporters at Umno’s headquarters here today.
Umno is holding a Supreme Council meeting as the party seeks to finalise its decision on who to cooperate with in forming the government.
Separately, Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said it is unfair for MCA to demand for Zahid’s ouster when the party itself only managed to secure two parliamentary seats.
According to the official election result, Umno won 26 seats, while fellow BN components MIC and PBRS respectively won one.
Bung Moktar said based on this, MCA should reflect on its performance before pinning the blame on Zahid over BN’s dismal performance.
“MCA should not have acted this way, especially for calling the chairman to step down. Does MCA realise they only won two seats from (44) seats given to them?
“They should reflect on their own performance first before making such calls. We in BN should remain calm when facing such a situation,” he said.
Meanwhile Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki similarly pointed out that MCA contributed only two seats for BN in the election, which he noted were won because of Malay support.
“This proves its failure to garner support from the Chinese. By right, they should take responsibility for failing to draw the votes.
“Don’t play with fire. What we want to make sure now is all 30 of BN MPs are really intact. We must go en bloc,” he said. – The Vibes, November 23, 2022
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