The MCA said today it has no qualms about Umno and PAS cooperating for Malay and Muslim unity, but wants PAS to abandon its policy of turning the country into a theocratic Islamic state if it rejoins the ruling BN coalition.

   

mca post cc meeting pc 130311 chua soi lek MCA President Dr Chua Soi Lek ( left ) said there was no harm if Umno and PAS were to talk from time to time on common points. 

   

"But MCA's stand is very clear, that we will not accept PAS' policy on an autocratic and theocratic Islamic state," he told reporters at the end of a three-day MCA National Leaders Brainstorming Camp at a hotel in Ayer Keroh, Melaka. 

   

Chua was commenting on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's call in Kuala Terengganu yesterday for PAS to cooperate with the BN and sever ties with the DAP.

   

"The prime minister is fully aware of MCA's stand on the matter of PAS rejoining the BN," the MCA president said.

NONE On Najib's comment that the MCA had sent a message to the Chinese voters that they cannot support the opposition and yet hope for a strong representation in the government, Chua said it was a statement of fact.

   

"My statement is never intended as a threat but it is intended to respect the Chinese voters if our result is not as good as or worse than that of the last general election," he said.

   

MCA has 15 MPs and 31 state assemblymen out of the 40 parliamentary and 90 state seats allocated to it in the general election in 2008.

Najib's remark 'a reflection of reality' 

Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon, meanwhile, also said he does not interpret Najib's statement as a "threat" to the Chinese community, but rather as "a reflection of reality and teh rule of the 'numbers' game in politics'.

NONE "A smaller number of elected representatives is normally translated into a weakened representation in government, at least in perception," said Koh ( right ), who is also Minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

Although far from perfect, BN is a multiracial coalition of parties that has been committed to multiracial representation which is its hallmark in sustaining stability, harmony, peace and development to the country.

"In fact, all component parties in the BN should work together to become increasingly Malaysian in perspective and real representation so that, in the near future, voters will soon come to identify BN as a single party representing all Malaysians, irrespective of race," said Koh.

Cautioning against imposing a "solely ethnic perspective" on Malaysia's political scenario, Koh recounted that some 30 percent of Chinese voters in Sarawak had voted for BN and SUPP in the state's recent polls.

"Therefore, instead of reacting to the Sarawak General Election results in a rather defensive and emotional manner, all BN component party leaders should now stay focused on the transformation programmes driven by the prime minister which are aimed at addressing these issues.

"When we are able to deliver more tangible results for the people, I believe that even urban voters will begin to see our sincerity and

commitment, and turn to support us, though it may take a lot more effort and time."