BN secretary-general Nazri Abdul Aziz said he was unsure of MCA’s status within the former ruling coalition.

This comes after MCA criticised his recent speech during the Semenyih by-election campaign, in which he remarked that top government posts should not be held by non-Malays and vernacular schools could be axed if Malay special privileges were challenged.

Pressed for a response to criticism from within his own coalition today, the Umno man turned the question on its head and challenged MCA’s standing.

“Who said we are a coalition? I thought they (MCA) want to dissolve BN. They don't even want to wear the blue shirt (anymore).

“[...] In the last (by-election) in Balakong, they stood as MCA, not BN. So I think constructively, they are not BN lah,” he told a press conference at the Putra World Trade Centre today.

Elaborating, Nazri said he “did not care” what MCA had to say about his speech.

“What MCA says I don't care, I am not bothered.

“I would ask them, if they ask me (if) I am campaigning for Pakatan Harapan, I want to ask them also… the way they attack me (it's) as if they are opposition,” he quipped.

MCA Youth chief Nicole Wong previously branded Nazri as a “rude, foolish and crazy” politician, and accused him of helping Harapan’s campaign through his comments.

At its AGM last December, the party had passed a motion that it should push for the dissolution of BN and form a new alliance. 

'Just leave, MCA'

Pressed repeatedly on MCA’s official status in BN, Nazri answered that the coalition had not had a supreme council meeting since May 9 last year and thus, he "did not know".

“[...] There is no urgency to call for the (BN supreme council) meeting because we have more urgent problems ahead of us. The Semenyih by-election and the Rantau by-election, these are more important issues than MCA.

“And for me, I think if they want to leave, just leave. Look at Gerakan, they did not scold Umno (as being) the cause of our defeat and all that.

“Leave lah,” he said.