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MCA has ‘many options’ ahead of GE16, says Wee
4 hours ago
Anne Muhammad
MCA president says a decision on which coalition the party will join before the next polls will only be made ‘when the time comes’
MCA president Wee Ka Siong said the party will continue to hold on to its principles and state its views clearly, even if certain quarters disagree with them.
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA president Wee Ka Siong says the party has not decided if it will leave Barisan Nasional and join another coalition ahead of the next general election (GE16).
He said the decision on which coalition the party will join before GE16 will only be made “when the time comes”, adding that MCA “has many options.”
“But for now, (even) if something has not been finalised, I will not disclose it.
“It is not the process that matters, but the conclusion or outcome. It is still early. We know what needs to be done,” he said at a press conference after attending the Selangor MCA convention at Wisma MCA here.
Wee said this when asked about MCA’s plans ahead of GE16, including which coalition it could team up with.
When asked about MCA’s position in BN, Wee said the party will continue to hold on to its principles and state its views clearly, even if certain quarters disagree with them.
“In MCA, we are principled. If we don’t agree, we say we don’t agree. If something is incomplete but a decision is being pushed through, then we must make our stand clear,” he said.
Earlier this month, Wee dismissed calls for MCA to leave BN, stressing that any decision on the party’s direction would only be made by MCA itself.
Previously, several division chiefs and grassroots leaders said MCA was being sidelined and needed to leave BN in order to rebuild its strength.
Last June, Wee was reported to have told Singapore daily, The Straits Times, that MCA’s 191 division meetings would “discuss the party’s direction and future” and present their proposals at the party’s annual general assembly in October.
BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi previously expressed confidence that MCA would remain in the coalition.
Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, said MCA, together with MIC, are key pillars of BN.
He said the decision on which coalition the party will join before GE16 will only be made “when the time comes”, adding that MCA “has many options.”
“But for now, (even) if something has not been finalised, I will not disclose it.
“It is not the process that matters, but the conclusion or outcome. It is still early. We know what needs to be done,” he said at a press conference after attending the Selangor MCA convention at Wisma MCA here.
Wee said this when asked about MCA’s plans ahead of GE16, including which coalition it could team up with.
When asked about MCA’s position in BN, Wee said the party will continue to hold on to its principles and state its views clearly, even if certain quarters disagree with them.
“In MCA, we are principled. If we don’t agree, we say we don’t agree. If something is incomplete but a decision is being pushed through, then we must make our stand clear,” he said.
Earlier this month, Wee dismissed calls for MCA to leave BN, stressing that any decision on the party’s direction would only be made by MCA itself.
Previously, several division chiefs and grassroots leaders said MCA was being sidelined and needed to leave BN in order to rebuild its strength.
Last June, Wee was reported to have told Singapore daily, The Straits Times, that MCA’s 191 division meetings would “discuss the party’s direction and future” and present their proposals at the party’s annual general assembly in October.
BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi previously expressed confidence that MCA would remain in the coalition.
Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, said MCA, together with MIC, are key pillars of BN.
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When considering the future of the MCA, one Chinese saying springs to mind: Two tigers cannot exist together on one mountain 一山不容二虎 (yì shān bù róng èr hǔ)
The Gerakan knew this since 2018 when as part of BN, it lost all its seats. Thus it thought it would join PN rather than Pakatan because the other Tiger in Pakatan was the DAP, and Gerakan knew the DAP has been the stronger tiger.
MCA faces the same dilemma in Pakatan, being denied space by the dominant presence of the DAP. The DAP had seen the lessons experienced by the Gerakan after the latter joined BN in 1972 when its powerful dominance (even when compared to UMNO) was gradually chipped away by Tun Razak. No sir, the Rocket Party wasn't going to face the same fate by 'giving room' to another Chinese-majority party like Gerakan or a Chinese party like MCA.
But if MCA joins PN, it will face the same fortune as its erstwhile colleague the Gerakan. Basically, the MCA currently stands between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.
So, what will Dr Wee do? Sure am glad I am not the Prez of the MCA, wakakaka.
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