MCA will be included in 'second step' seat talks - Penang BN

 

MCA will be included in seat negotiations between BN and Pakatan Harapan in Penang, said state BN chairperson Musa Sheikh Fadzir.

He said Penang MCA chairperson Tan Teik Cheng was right in saying seat allocation talks between the two coalitions should include all component parties.

However, the meeting between Harapan parties and Umno next week is merely the first step of the negotiations, Musa (above) said.

“This is just a misunderstanding.

“Definitely BN, including MCA, will be in the discussions, that is correct. But not right now.

“We have two steps, the first step is (to discuss) Malay areas first which Umno contested last time, and then we will do the second step for BN (as a whole),” Musa told Malaysiakini when contacted today.

Tan’s remarks about including all parties in the seat talks came after Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the state Harapan chapter will meet Umno next week to discuss seat allocations for the upcoming state elections.

“We reiterate that any discussion should include every component party of the unity government, in order to preserve the integrity and trust between parties,” Tan said.

Musa explained that the first step of the seat discussion between the two coalitions would involve PKR, Amanah, and Umno to divvy up the Malay seats in the state.

“After that only we will discuss with MCA and MIC. There is no problem,” he said.

BN currently has two assemblypersons in the 40-seat Penang state legislature who are both from Umno.

Meanwhile, Harapan secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail recently said his coalition and BN have agreed that parties which won seats during GE14 will get to contest them again in the upcoming six state polls.

Penang state official newsletter Buletin Mutiara also reported Chow saying today that issues involving MCA should be dealt with by BN.

He also said leaders from BN component parties aside from Umno will also be present at Harapan’s meeting with Umno next week.

“Similarly, the Penang Harapan component parties requested the state Harapan coalition to hold a meeting today.

“I understand that following today’s Harapan meeting, Harapan will be meeting with the state Umno next.

“However, from the list of delegates that we received, there are other BN leaders too,” he said. - Mkini