KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Two candidates vying for MCA’s top posts today questioned the party’s leadership over its role in Barisan Nasional’s inclusion of PAS in its rebranding of the coalition.
Gan Ping Sieu and Tee Siew Kong, who are running for the MCA party president and deputy president posts respectively, in a joint statement today demanded answers from outgoing president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and deputy president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong.
The statement claimed that MCA had not dared to leave the Umno-dominated BN despite suffering in silence at the insults that were hurled at them in the past.
“Liow even holds the view that leaving BN is an act of self-denigration and disloyalty.
“Were their views respected? Or were they even consulted prior to Umno’s decision to rebrand BN?” they questioned.
Gan and Tee also accused Wee and Liow of being oblivious to Umno’s position as a right-wing party and of them working together with PAS.
“The duo has not made a clear stand and response on this. Now that PAS is going to be part of BN, did they have a hand in its admission or were they kept in the dark again?” the statement said.
Yesterday, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that BN would be rebranded with a new name, ahead of its efforts to retake Putrajaya in the next election.
Zahid reportedly said the new BN would include five core parties, bloc partners and other NGOs, and had expressed hope that Islamist party PAS will continue to be a political partner.
Gan and Tee also asked whether Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz’s appointment was agreed by MCA, as the latter had consistently attacked the BN party and disrespected Chinese leaders like Robert Kuok.
“Did they object to his appointment as BN’s secretary-general? Or did they have to be subservient and stomach Umno’s decision like before?” read the questions directed at Liow and Wee.
