BOMBSHELL – GERAKAN-MCA MERGER ON THE CARDS? THE LAST DAYS OF GERAKAN – IN TYPICAL BN DOUBLESPEAK, MAH SAYS UNION DIFFICULT BUT STOPS SHORT OF DENYING STEPS AFOOT FOR GERAKAN TO BE ASSIMILATED INTO MCA

KUALA LUMPUR, 12 Nov -- Presiden Gerakan Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong berucap pada Persidangan Perwakilan Nasional Gerakan Ke-46 di Menara PGRM hari ini. --fotoBERNAMA (2017) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA

KUALA LUMPUR – Merger talks are not on the cards at the Gerakan-MCA Stronger Together assembly scheduled to be held at Wisma MCA here tomorrow.

Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said it would be difficult for the two key Barisan Nasional component parties to merge because of differences in their respective constitutions.

“Gerakan is party for all all races whereas MCA only represent the Chinese community. Our constitution does not permit such a merger because we subscribe to the idea of inclusiveness,” Mah, who is also Minister for Plantations and Commodities, told reporters after delivering a briefing on the performance of the commodities sector for the period January-Novmber 2017, here today.

He said the assembly tomorrow was to realise a new synergy between the two parties to help the BN coalition achieve a resounding victory in the 14th General Election, which must be called by August this year.

It will be the first time the two parties are coming together in a show of BN solidarity. Gerakan is an offshoot of MCA, which is a founding party of the country.

On Gerakan’s candidates, Mah said the party had shortlisted 45 names for parliamentary and state seats and that the list would be submitted to BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak this Sunday.

— Bernama