Sunday, December 19, 2021

Zahid: MCA may be given more seats to contest in GE15

The Star:

Zahid: MCA may be given more seats to contest in GE15


JOHOR BARU: MCA may have more seats to contest in the 15th General Election (GE15) in addition to the party’s traditional seats.

Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the recent Melaka state election where the party’s Ngwe Hee Sem and Datuk Lim Ban Hong won in Machap Jaya and Kelebang respectively showed that voter support had returned to MCA.

He also noted Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng’s victory in the Tanjung Piai by-election on Nov 16, 2019.


“Traditional MCA seats will be given to MCA. We will not kacau (interfere) in seats of MCA and MIC. There may even be additional seats for the 'friends of BN’,” he said at the 68th MCA annual general meeting on Sunday (Dec 19).

He noted that MCA’s loyalty to the coalition had been challenged time after time, after it won 15 parliamentary seats in GE12 but only seven in GE13.

He said it worsened in GE14 when MCA managed to only win one parliamentary seat and two state seats with slim majorities.

“MCA’s loyalty was tested when other component parties decided to leave Barisan.

“Luckily, during the 65th MCA annual general meeting, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong was elected party president and he led its central committee to decide to remain in the coalition,” he said.


Ahmad Zahid added that MCA should not feel threatened by DAP but it should be the other way round instead as the latter could not win the multiracial rakyat’s hearts.

At the AGM, Dr Wee said MCA would continue to stand with Barisan through good times and bad, “as only the coalition is able to truly fight for the future of the people and better govern the country."

“At the same time, MCA hopes to contest in all our traditional seats to reflect the long-standing spirit of friendship within Barisan,” he added.


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