The MCA, an influential partner in Barisan Nasional, today called upon Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to create a post for a Chinese deputy prime minister and a Chinese deputy chairperson of BN.

loke yuen yow And the party's deputy secretary-general Loke Yuen Yow said these two posts should be given to the MCA president.

At present both the posts are reserved to the deputy president of Umno, currently Muhyiddin Yassin.

"The creation of a Chinese deputy prime minister's position will not only help to realise the true ideology of a power-sharing administration...

"It will also denote that the government gives importance to the role and contributions made by the Chinese towards the process of nation building," he said in a statement today.

Prime Minister's Office staff in Putrajaya "Also, if given the portfolio, the MCA president could in his capacity in cabinet, help to draw up a fairer and a more justifiable policy which is beneficial to all, especially in areas relating to the Chinese in the fields of economics and education," he added.

The MCA president is Ong Tee Keat, who is also the transport minister.

Loke further said that Malaysians have long accepted and rendered their full support to the power-sharing ideology in the BN government.

However, he said, after 52 years of national independence, the general feeling was that the power-sharing was just a mere slogan rather than a practical situation.

"Malaysians are rather frustrated and dissatisfied with our real situation now as it is merely empty talk," he lamented.

To manifest the real scenario

Loke also pointed out that MCA had represented the Chinese in the struggle for the nation's Independence together with Umno and MIC in 1957.

He said that the contributions made by both MCA and the Chinese community in the process of nation building were significant.

As for the creation of second deputy chairperson post in the BN, Loke said the appointment of the MCA president to that post "will truly manifest the real scenario of power sharing in Najib's administration".

"As a far-sighted leader with brilliant political leadership, Najib should see the importance and necessity of creating both these positions," he added.

Last day of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Najib Abdul Razak takes over as prime minister in Putrajaya Najib became the nation's new prime minister this morning, taking over from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

He took over the post of Umno president last week. By convention Najib is also the chairperson of BN.

The call for the creation of a second deputy prime minister's post is not new.

Political parties in Sabah have been making such calls for several years now, asking for the post to be filled by someone from their state.

MCA has also been making these calls for some years as well, especially after 1999.