KUALA LUMPUR – MCA deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon has revealed that his party was told by “certain senior BN (Barisan Nasional) leaders” to throw its support behind Perikatan Nasional (PN) following the aftermath of the 15th general election (GE15).
In a brief statement today, Mah said the decision to do so was based on BN’s “No Anwar, No DAP” decision prior to GE15.
It was a similar situation for Gabungan Parti Sarawak, said Mah, adding that they were told that “BN had agreed to support PN”.
However, Mah said, MCA decided to reverse this decision after BN decided to remain neutral at its recent Supreme Council meeting.
“In that meeting, the MCA president (Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong) had also proposed that statutory declarations by any and all existing individual MPs (in BN) must be cancelled immediately.
“As a result, BN instructed all BN MPs to immediately withdraw any statutory declarations of support that were previously given,” said Mah.
The “No Anwar, No DAP” policy was BN’s rejection of Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and its component party DAP.
However, BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has explained that the policy was merely for GE15 and is not applicable to the post-election period.
Earlier today, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang reportedly said BN components MCA and MIC had been willing to back PN, which PAS is part of, to form the government.
Hadi said that this should be seen as an indication of PAS’ openness to working with those of other races.
PN insists that some BN MPs had signed statutory declarations supporting the coalition, prior to Anwar’s appointment as prime minister and the formation of a unity government under him.
The claim, however, was subsequently dismissed by several BN linchpin Umno leaders, including the party’s Supreme Council member Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi and Umno Youth chief Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
PAS recently came under heat after Hadi asserted that “creedless and immoral” DAP is spreading Islamophobic narratives and appointing “stupid and liberal Malays rejected by Islam” as its mouthpieces.
He also said that he has no problem with PH leaders filing police reports against the party for allegedly issuing accusations and remarks that could incite racial harmony, saying: “Go ahead and lodge a police report. I am ready to go to Bukit Aman (police headquarters).” – The Vibes, November 30, 2022
