KUALA LUMPUR: The Barisan Nasional Supreme Council will discuss MCA’s recent resolution, which threatens to leave the coalition if any of its component parties cooperates with DAP in the next general election.
BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the matter would be left to MCA’s discretion, adding that BN would respect the party’s decision.
“From my observation, MCA’s resolution still recognises BN as the core platform for its component parties.
“And it has long been the practice of the BN Supreme Council that any decision made by a component party relating to BN will also be brought to the Supreme Council for discussion.
“So, I leave it to MCA to decide, and we cannot interfere in the internal affairs of BN component parties.
“I am confident in the wisdom and maturity of MCA’s leadership, who will further discuss the matter with BN’s top leadership,” he told the New Straits Times.
He said the formation of the current unity government, which involves multiple political parties, requires mutual understanding from all sides.
“The existing unity government was formed through the cooperation of Pakatan Harapan (PH), BN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS), other parties, and independent MPs.
“This means that cooperation is built on agreements between party groupings within each component.”
Earlier, at the 3rd General Assembly of the 30th MCA Central Committee, the party passed a resolution stating it would leave BN if any of its component parties decide to work with its rival, DAP, in the next general election.
President Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said such cooperation would effectively signal the end of the BN spirit.
Another BN component, MIC, has previously expressed similar sentiments.
MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan tabled three resolutions at the party’s 79th convention, including leaving BN and formally applying to join the opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional.
While delegates debated the resolutions, no vote was taken, as the convention agreed to leave the decision to president Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran and MIC‘s top leadership.
Vigneswaran revealed that he met Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to discuss the party’s intention to leave BN.
He said Anwar suggested that MIC reconsider the matter, given its long-standing role as a component party.
The unity government was formed through a coalition of PH, BN, GPS, GRS, and Parti Warisan after no single party won a simple majority in the 15th General Election on Nov 19, 2022.
PH, which won 82 parliamentary seats, joined forces with BN (30 seats), GPS (23 seats), GRS (six seats), Parti Warisan (three seats), Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM), independents, and KDM (four seats) to form the government.
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