KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today said that Umno has other alternatives if MCA decides to leave the coalition.
The Umno president said MCA has yet to tender any official notification about its decision to leave the BN pact.
“We have many alternatives. Did you understand my statement just now? You should read between the lines.
“We have other alternatives. We have many Chinese parties. They also would like to work with us.
“I shouldn’t mention now, but many Chinese parties would like to work closely with us,” Zahid told reporters during a press conference at Umno headquarters here.
Earlier today, MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said that BN leaders had grown arrogant, lacked integrity and failed to listen to voters ahead of the 14th general election.
At the party’s 65th annual general meeting today, Wee urged members to think carefully about their future.
Zahid said that he would respect any decision taken by MCA with regards to the matter, but the decision must be relayed to BN to “enable further political decisions”.
“We had a discussion among those who hold the main posts in BN and with MCA’s top leadership. Definitely we give them the trust as a party which sits on Chinese support, to allow them to move forward as a political party.
“They definitely have their own methods of gaining back support from Chinese voters to their party.
“If they are able to do this, the support and trust of the Chinese people will return to them. However, if it turns out otherwise, definitely BN has a few other options, and I don’t have to state here what the steps are,” Zahid said when responding to a question on how BN can win over Chinese voters with the absence of MCA, if the party decides to leave the coalition.
He claimed that the current Pakatan Harapan (PH) government also does not hold a 100 per cent Chinese support.
Zahid said Chinese community is still hoping for an alternative party that is more multiracial, and is able to work with other BN components.
