MCA chooses to stay in BN to keep it multiracial
The MCA central committee today announced that it will remain in BN in order to maintain multiracial cooperation.
MCA president Wee Ka Siong, who made the announcement, said his party was confronted with two choices when making the decision...
The MCA central committee today announced that it will remain in BN in order to maintain multiracial cooperation.
MCA president Wee Ka Siong, who made the announcement, said his party was confronted with two choices when making the decision.
"We have reached a fork in the road and we can pick only one path.
"The first path: MCA leaves BN behind and allows Umno-PAS' partnership to become the framework of the opposition, where a Malay-Muslim majority opposition is pitted against a more diverse ruling coalition.
"The second path: MCA stays in BN and strengthens the premise of multiracial cooperation, ensuring diversity remains a crux in the opposition.
"The MCA central committee chooses to stay in BN," he said at a press conference after chairing the meeting at the party's headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
'Tough road ahead'
Wee said MCA must do all it can to ensure multiracialism is preserved in BN and prevent race relations from tilting towards "Malays against non-Malays."
However, he acknowledged that MCA's decision may be perceived as "politically incorrect."
"We acknowledge that it is detrimental to our popularity. But MCA believes that to create a more democratic, benign, diverse and moderate political environment, this is a choice we have to make.
"It is going to be a tough road ahead, we are aware of that, but we are ready to face it with character and fortitude," he said.
On Dec 2 last year, the MCA general assembly approved a motion to dissolve BN.
Wee said this was presented at the March 8 BN supreme council meeting, but no consensus on dissolution was reached.
"MCA acknowledges that this reflects the reality of a political union that was once formidable and formed on the basis of multiculturalism for all Malaysians," he said.
Spirit of consensus
Noting Umno's cooperation with PAS, Wee also said that any BN component party pursuing partnerships outside the coalition must adhere to its code of consensus and diversity.
"Mindfulness of the fundamental differences that exist between PAS, MCA and MIC needs to be taken into consideration for the benefit of the coalition.
"Umno, MCA and MIC must safeguard the spirit of consensus and the constitution.
"A common consent must exist between opposition parties to put our strengths together for effective checks and balances, especially on the topics of people's economy and livelihood," he said.
The announcement comes just two weeks after MCA and MIC said in a statement that they were "moving on" from BN to explore new alliances.
The two parties had accused Umno of violating consensus in the coalition, including on the appointment of Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz as its secretary-general.
Acting Umno president Mohamad Hasan subsequently convened a BN supreme council meeting – which had not been in session since the coalition's defeat in the last general election.
Nazri was also asked not to attend the meeting after MCA and MIC threatened a boycott if he showed up.
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