JOHOR BARU, Feb 7 — MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong today said he will not speculate about whether a discussion on the possibility of a tripartite pact with PAS and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) is on the agenda of an Umno meeting scheduled for later this evening.
“I am not involved in the meeting as it only involves Umno and I do not know what is the meeting’s agenda.
“For me, it is normal for a (political) party to discuss the current political situation and I cannot make any speculation about the matter,” said Wee in a press conference during Johor MCA’s Chinese New Year celebrations in Danga Bay here today.
Also present was Johor Umno deputy chief Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, Johor MIC chief R. Vidyanathan and Johor PAS commissioner Abdullah Husin.
Anticipation is high that Umno’s supreme council meeting in Kuala Lumpur later today will see senior members of the party discussing a possible coalition with Bersatu and PAS.
Wee stressed that it is more practical to work on current issues affecting the public instead of addressing unsubstantiated rumours.
He said that there are many issues that urgently require attention at the moment, especially those related to the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) outbreak.
Wee, who is the Ayer Hitam MP, added that the government should come up with an immediate action plan to assist those in the tourism industry.
“The government must step in and come up with a short-term solution to address the issue as other countries have already taken steps, including introducing an economic stimulus package,” he said.
On Tuesday, a Singapore daily reported that Umno may throw its backing behind Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to serve out a full-term in an attempt to prevent Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s succession to the seat of power.
Citing unnamed party sources and a recording of Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, The Straits Times said the Malay party’s top echelon are pushing to lobby the 94-year-old to stay on for the remainder of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government’s mandate instead of handing over the reins to PKR president Anwar as previously agreed.
