MIC, MCA chiefs contradict over which party will contest Batu
MIC president SA Vigneswaran has dismissed MCA president Wee Ka Siong’s assertion that the latter’s party will contest the Batu parliamentary seat instead of MIC.
Vigneswaran said any announcements related to seats within BN must be done by the coalition’s chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“I don’t know which Batu he (Wee) is talking about. It is A Kohilan Pillay (who will contest in Batu).
“Most importantly, the announcement must come from the BN chairperson.
“If Wee wants to make any (changes), he must talk to the BN chairperson,” Vigneswaran (above, left) said in a press conference today.
The press conference was held after the MIC central working committee had an emergency meeting this morning to discuss its participation in the 15th general election (GE15) due to purported unhappiness with seat allocations.
In BN’s candidate announcement last night, Zahid initially announced Kohilan as the candidate for Batu.
MCA president Wee Ka Siong
However, earlier today Wee reportedly said MCA will field its candidate in Batu instead of MIC, after discussions with Zahid last night.
MIC was notably absent from BN’s candidate announcement event yesterday, although both Zahid and Vigneswaran had said MIC leaders were attending another meeting at the time.
‘Too late to change’
Vigneswaran stressed that it is too late to make changes to the seat allocation as the candidates have already been announced.
When asked if he has been in contact with Zahid since last night, Vigneswaran said he last spoke to the BN chairperson this morning.
“You think I don’t keep in contact with him (Zahid)?” Vigneswaran quipped.
He pointed out that MCA was never involved in negotiations for the Batu seat and that it was initially a choice between MIC and the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma).
On a separate matter, Vigneswaran said MIC is okay with swapping Sungai Buloh for the Kuala Langat seat as the most important thing is a candidate’s winnability.
This is especially as Umno has decided to field Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is the incumbent Rembau MP, in Sungai Buloh.
“We think Khairy is a winning candidate,” Vigneswaran added.
However, earlier today Wee reportedly said MCA will field its candidate in Batu instead of MIC, after discussions with Zahid last night.
MIC was notably absent from BN’s candidate announcement event yesterday, although both Zahid and Vigneswaran had said MIC leaders were attending another meeting at the time.
‘Too late to change’
Vigneswaran stressed that it is too late to make changes to the seat allocation as the candidates have already been announced.
When asked if he has been in contact with Zahid since last night, Vigneswaran said he last spoke to the BN chairperson this morning.
“You think I don’t keep in contact with him (Zahid)?” Vigneswaran quipped.
He pointed out that MCA was never involved in negotiations for the Batu seat and that it was initially a choice between MIC and the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma).
On a separate matter, Vigneswaran said MIC is okay with swapping Sungai Buloh for the Kuala Langat seat as the most important thing is a candidate’s winnability.
This is especially as Umno has decided to field Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is the incumbent Rembau MP, in Sungai Buloh.
“We think Khairy is a winning candidate,” Vigneswaran added.
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