BN in limbo over candidates

MCA and Gerakan are still waiting for the prime minister's approval while MIC has still not finalised is list of candidates.

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has dissolved Parliament but the Barisan Nasional component parties are still in various stages of finalising their candidates’ list.

MIC, for instance, has not finalised its list yet whereas MCA is awaiting for its list of candidates to be approved by Najib.

“MIC is having a meeting tomorrow to finalise the list of candidates,” said MIC vice-president SK Devamany who is also Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department when asked to comment on the dissolution of the Dewan Rakyat.

He also echoed Najib’s call for a stronger mandate for BN.

“Please give a mandate to BN to continue to serve the public and to work for the harmony of the country. Najib has given a clear direction to the people to vote wisely,” Devamany said.

MIC contested in nine parliamentary and 19 state seats but won three parliamentary seats in 2008 and one in a by-election.

The party also fared badly at state levels, securing only seven state seats. Even past president S Samy Vellu lost in Sungai Siput.

MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong, who is also Deputy Education Minister, indicated that his party had given its list of candidates and is awaiting for the final say from Najib.

“We are awaiting for the approved list of candidates from the prime minister and we are ready to face the biggest challenge in the coming polls.

“I do not want to comment anything further until Najib makes the announcement [on the candidates' list].

MCA only won 15 out of 40 parliamentary seats and 31 from a total of 90 state seats it contested in the last election.

Gerakan deputy president Chang Ko Youn, meanwhile, told FMT that the party has been on its toes for GE13 for the past five years and even finalised its candidates’ list last year.

“We have finalised our list six months ago and are awaiting for Najib’s approval as BN chairman. The party is always prepared. We do not do any last-minute work,” said Chang.

Gerakan also had fared badly during GE12. The party only won two out of 12 parliamentary seats and four out of 31 state seats it contested.

Similar to the MIC, Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon, who was Penang chief minister, contested in Batu Kawan parliament seat but lost to DAP newcomer, P Ramasamy.