BALAKONG POLLS | BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today stumped for MCA in the Balakong by-election campaign but did not appear to have high hopes, saying he aims instead to reduce Pakatan Harapan's majority.

“In this Balakong by-election, it doesn't matter if we win or lose. What is important for us is if we are able to reduce the Harapan candidate's majority.

“It would be a moral victory," he said during a visit to MCA's operations centre in Balakong.

Zahid, who is BN chairperson, added that MCA had his blessing to contest under its own logo for the by-election.

He described MCA as a "loyal friend" and revealed that BN was still surviving as a coalition.

It was previously reported that the BN had disintegrated from having 13 parties to only three, namely Umno, MCA and MIC after 10 parties quit the coalition after its defeat in the 14th general election.

However, Zahid revealed that PBRS still remained with BN together with MyPPP though for the latter it would depend on the outcome of its power struggle.

"Even though MCA is using its own logo, the spirit of BN remains strong and continues to burn. We BN parties are loyal friends, there is still PBRS and MyPPP, depending on who becomes the president (for the latter)," he said.

MyPPP president M Kayveas had announced the party's exit from BN but he is engaged in a power struggle with rivals who want to remain in BN.

PBRS had initially announced it was quitting BN to join Harapan but the latter did not respond to the request.

'Help us rise again'

Zahid said the other by-elections in Selangor including in Seri Setia and Sungai Kandis could help foster stronger ties in BN and also with PAS.

"If we can reduce the votes of the Harapan candidates and their majorities, I am confident it will help us rise again as the government in the near future," he said, adding that he believed PAS supporters would also back MCA.

The Balakong by-election will see a direct contest between MCA's Tan Chee Teong and Harapan's Wong Siew Ki. Polling will take place on Saturday.

DAP, a Harapan component, has held the seat since 2008.

It won it in the last general election by a landslide with 41,768 votes while the PAS and MCA candidates who garnered 6,230 votes and 5,874 votes respectively, lost their deposits.

The seat fell vacant after DAP's incumbent Ng Tien Chee died in a car accident.