KUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), the Chinese opposition party in the Barisan Nasional (BN), will decide at its annual general assembly on Sunday (Dec 2) whether to quit BN or request to dissolve the once powerful alliance.
MCA's deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said the Chinese community thinks MCA should leave BN even though MCA, as a founding partner of BN, has stood by the two other founders Umno and Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) through thick and thin since independence, the Bernama news agency reported.
"At a time when BN is at its weakest point after an unprecedented heavy defeat in the 14th General Election (GE14), questions arise whether MCA should leave BN or to request for the dissolution of BN through MCA's position as a founding member of BN...this is the choice MCA members have to decide for the future," he said when officiating the MCA Youth annual general assembly here, on Saturday (Dec 1).
Dr Mah said if BN is dissolved, component parties would be free to cooperate with other parties to form a new alliance later.
On Pakatan Harapan (PH), he said the ruling coalition had failed to serve the people, six months after GE14 and the Democratic Action Party, MCA's key rival which received 95 per cent of Chinese support, had used their power after winning the election to attack MCA instead.
In August, Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa said BN was temporarily suspended to explore partnerships with other political parties.
Mr Annuar who chairs the pact told news site The Malaysian Insight that Umno was going through a "new phase" and the BN component parties needed to be pragmatic and look at the possibility of working with other parties.
The country's longest-serving coalition governed Malaysia for over six decades until its shock election defeat in May, where it won only 79 of the 222 seats in Parliament.
From a grand pact of 13 parties, BN is now left with three parties - Umno, MCA and MIC.
MCA won only one parliamentary seat and two state seats under the Barisan ticket in the May 9 polls. Barisan formed state governments in Pahang and Perlis.
On Nov 18, Umno president Dr Ahmad Zahid called for a merger between Umno and Islamic party Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) during a gathering between the two parties against the ratification of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, a United Nations convention.
However, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who was present at the event, appeared to disregard Dr Ahmad Zahid's overture.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said Dr Ahmad Zahid has disregarded the feelings of Barisan component party members and should uphold the Barisan's spirit of working together with different races, The Star Online reported.
