Don’t blame DAP for your BN woes, Kok tells Wee

 

DAP vice-chairman Teresa Kok said she was amused by MCA president Wee Ka Siong’s claim about outsiders instigating the party’s removal from Barisan Nasional.

PETALING JAYA: 

DAP vice-chairman Teresa Kok has distanced the party from a claim by MCA president Wee Ka Siong that “outsiders” had proposed Umno boot MCA out of the Barisan Nasional coalition.

Kok mocked Wee over his claim, reportedly made during an interview with Chinese media, and said she found the Ayer Hitam MP’s remarks amusing.

She said that, to her knowledge, DAP has no such agenda and was not concerned about BN’s internal matters.

According to Malaysiakini, Wee claimed that the suggestion to expel MCA from BN had come from “outsiders” who previously accused MCA of betraying the Chinese by virtue of being allies with Umno, but were now close with Umno themselves and held positions in the government.

While he did not name DAP, the party was previously an adversary to Umno but is now a coalition partner in the unity government.

Kok told FMT: “Wee’s statement seems to reflect a loss of influence and confidence within Umno. He and other MCA leaders have a habit of blaming DAP for every problem they face, including their current loss of favor with Umno.

“Wee should consult his Umno counterparts instead of openly blaming DAP. He should not drag DAP into the internal affairs of the BN coalition.”

Wee said his party was waiting for Umno’s decision on the purported proposal.

In mid-2024, there was talk that MCA’s central committee was under pressure from grassroots members to leave BN, though top leaders were quick to deny this.

However, in October 2023, Wee said in a speech to party members that MCA was prepared to chart its own path if any BN party decided to abandon its current allies in the coalition.

MCA and Umno have been political allies since Merdeka, first in the Alliance party, and later in BN. - FMT