Umno vice-president Johari Ghani has played down suggestions that MCA may leave Barisan Nasional if it continues to cooperate with DAP in the next general election.
He said each party has its own agenda and will make decisions based on its internal considerations.
“As of today, I see MCA still with BN.
“We have to accept the fact that, today, in most countries, it is difficult to have a single absolute political party. Therefore, what we need to do is adapt.
“But BN and MCA … our relationship is very close (and has spanned) more than 50 years,” Johari, who is also the plantation and commodities minister, told reporters after launching the 100 Years of Rubber Research celebration in Kuala Lumpur today, Bernama reported.
Yesterday, MCA president Wee Ka Siong was reported as saying the party will review its position in BN if Umno, its key ally, insists on continuing its cooperation with other parties outside the coalition, especially DAP.
In July, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the coalition plans to continue its alliance with Pakatan Harapan at GE16 despite calls for BN to go solo.
Umno, MCA and MIC are the founding members of the pre-independence Alliance Party, which became BN in 1973.
MIC is also at a crossroads about leaving BN and has even sent an inquiry to Perikatan Nasional to obtain more information about joining the opposition coalition.
