MCA president Liow Tiong Lai's threat to dissolve BN or kick Umno out of the coalition over the latter’s cooperation with PAS is "unrealistic," said the Islamist party secretary-general, Takiyuddin Hassan.

"With all due respect, I feel that the MCA president's statement is not only unrealistic, but also as if they (MCA) fear their own shadow.

"Out of fear of losing Chinese support to DAP, MCA turned towards PAS as the party that supposedly failed to consider Malaysia's culturally diverse society and has no regards for national harmony," Takiyuddin said in a statement today.

The Kota Bharu MP was responding to Liow's reported warning yesterday that the party could kick Umno out of BN if it moves towards a more "theocratic" politics.

Speaking at the Selangor MCA Convention 2018, Liow said BN should continue to celebrate the diversity of cultures and maintain racial harmony in the country.

As such, he stressed that if Umno leans towards a more extreme racial and religious approach, MCA will only be left with two options – dissolve BN or kick Umno out.

Liow also said that MCA disagrees with any formal Umno-PAS alliance beyond existing cooperation on specific issues.

Takiyuddin, however, maintained that PAS remained open to working with any parties, including MCA, for the good of the nation – such as in the Balakong by-election, where the party helped campaign for MCA candidate Tan Chee Teong.

"Although MCA appears to be denying their cooperation with PAS in Balakong, they have to realise that PAS is not only cooperating with Umno on grounds of solidarity among the opposition, but also with MIC and other parties," he pointed out.

Takiyuddin also called on the MCA to embrace a more open and matured politics, rather than issuing threats or blaming others for the party's poor electoral results.

After Umno and PAS showed their cooperation in the Sungai Kandis and Seri Setia by-elections, party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi led some top leaders to attend the PAS muktamar in Kuala Terengganu in earlier this month.

At the muktamar, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang buttered up his members for possible further political cooperation with Umno and other parties