MyPPP may reconsider BN membership after meeting Najib

GE14 | MyPPP may reconsider its BN membership after a meeting with coalition chairperson Najib Abdul Razak.

This is amid attempts by MyPPP president M Kayveas to wrest the Cameron Highlands parliamentary seat from MIC.

"The MyPPP supreme council has unanimously decided to remain with BN.

"However, this may be reconsidered after the meeting between the MyPPP president and the BN chairperson before the finalisation of seats," he said at a press conference outside the party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

Kayveas did not say when he would be meeting Najib, only that it would be soon.

He was adamant that he would not contest the Segambut parliamentary seat, and warned that voters in Cameron Highlands may revolt against BN if MyPPP does not get the seat.

'No sabotage'

"There is no reason (for us) to sabotage (BN), we don't do that.

"If there is any sabotage it will be from the voters themselves, because they have very high hopes that MyPPP and 'Uncle Bond' will contest Cameron Highlands," he said, referring to his nickname among some constituents there. 

Kayveas has been working the ground in Cameron Highlands since the 2013 general election.

Then-MIC president G Palanivel had won the seat that year with a razor-thin 432 vote majority. Youth chief C Sivaraajh is widely touted to contest there in the coming polls.

Kayveas was reported as saying yesterday that BN had offered him the Segambut seat – an offer he rejected, insisting that he be given Cameron Highlands instead. 

At his press conference today, he said any other candidate from MyPPP is free to contest in Segambut, if they so wished. 

He also pointed out that the party had given up the other seats it contested in 2013 to BN – including the parliamentary seat of Kepong, and the Perak state seat of Pasir Bedamar – in hopes of securing Cameron Highlands. 

Kayveas also claimed that he had been approached by Pakatan Harapan, but refused to say who approached him or what offer was made.

"I turned down the offer... I have the right to remain silent on what was offered," he said.

'We won't betray BN'

Earlier, some 100 Kayveas supporters had gathered outside the MyPPP office as the supreme council held its meeting. 

The supporters chanted "Hidup Kayveas" (long live Kayveas) and "We want Cameron Highlands" while holding placards, some of which read "Don't challenge our loyalty".

Asked what would happen if the party does not get Cameron Highlands, Tampin MyPPP division chief VM Raja said the party would continue to serve the constituents. 

"We will not betray BN, we will keep quiet, but we will prove to them what we can do," Raja told Malaysiakini. - Mkini