'Let's embrace each other again,' Zahid urges MCA and MIC return to BN

 

UMNO AGM | Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today attempted to appease BN components MCA and MIC with a plea for the parties to stop “sulking” and once again strengthen the coalition formed for over five decades.

In his presidential speech, Zahid said “sibling relations” will inevitably involve moments where someone gets “bitten”, but they must return to one another.

“Let’s embrace each other again. Sulking is fine… sulk for a while and then come back, but don’t sulk anymore - we’re too tired to appease you,” he said with a smile.

“Come back here, sit under this big tent, let’s be together… we are Malaysians, we are friends in BN,” the BN chairperson said to cheers from 6,412 delegates from the party’s central body, Youth, Wanita, and Puteri wings gathered at Dewan Merdeka in the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur.

He also noted that while Umno’s decision to join the unity government was made in the national interest, it cannot be denied that it has created tensions within BN.

“Our presence in the unity government, even though it is in the national interest, has caused cracks in the close relationship among BN component parties, but Alhamdulillah, everyone is in front of us now,” he said in reference to MCA president Wee Ka Siong and MIC deputy president M Saravanan.

Elaborating, Zahid said, “Some even decided to leave a relationship that has long been the pillar of stability, some are sulking and want to go over there (Perikatan Nasional).”

Last December, Wee, in his speech at MCA’s annual general assembly, issued a stern warning against BN extending its cooperation with Pakatan Harapan into the next general election.

Wee, at the time, made a subtle but clear threat that they are ready to leave BN should “some allies” wish to continue working with Harapan.

Met by reporters after Zahid’s speech, Wee, however, renewed MCA’s commitment to BN, stating: “As far as MCA is concerned, we are the founding party of BN. That is still there.”

Saravanan, who declined to comment today, was last quoted as saying that MIC’s decision on its political future will be made only after Thaipusam, which falls on Feb 1. - Mkini