Who said we are a coalition, Nazri asks MCA after criticism over speech

BN secretary-general Nazri Abdul Aziz said he was unsure of MCA’s status within the former ruling coalition.

This comes after MCA criticised his recent speech during the Semenyih by-election campaign, in which he remarked that top government posts should not be held by non-Malays and vernacular schools could be axed if Malay special privileges were challenged.

Pressed for a response to criticism from within his own coalition today, the Umno man turned the question on its head and challenged MCA’s standing.

“Who said we are a coalition? I thought they (MCA) want to dissolve BN. They don't even want to wear the blue shirt (anymore).

“[...] In the last (by election) in Balakong, they stood as MCA, not BN. So I think constructively, they are not BN lah,” he told a press conference at the Putra World Trade Centre today.

Elaborating, Nazri said he “did not care” what MCA had to say about his speech.

“What MCA says I don't care, I am not bothered.

“I would ask them, if they ask me (if) I am campaigning for Pakatan Harapan, I want to ask them also… the way they attack me (it's) as if they are opposition,” he quipped.

MCA Youth chief Nicole Wong previously branded Nazri as a “rude, foolish and crazy” politician, and accused him of helping Harapan’s campaign through his comments.

At its AGM last December, the party had passed a motion that it should push for the dissolution of BN and form a new alliance. 

'Just leave, MCA'

Pressed repeatedly on MCA’s official status in BN, Nazri answered that the coalition had not had a supreme council meeting since May 9 last year and thus, he "did not know".

“[...] There is no urgency to call for the (BN supreme council) meeting because we have more urgent problems ahead of us. The Semenyih by-election and the Rantau by-election, these are more important issues than MCA.

“And for me, I think if they want to leave, just leave lah. Look at Gerakan, they did not scold Umno (as being) the cause of our defeat and all that.

“Leave lah,” he said.   - Mkini