Will Umno’s decision to support Pakatan Harapan (PH) to form a unity government also be the position of its three component parties – MCA, MIC and PBRS?
While Umno’s Supreme Council last night had decided to throw its support behind PH, the position of its component parties – MIC, MCA and PBRS – that won four seats in the 15th General Election, remains unknown.
When contacted this morning, MIC president, Tan Sri S. Vigneswaran, merely said that the party’s position would be that of Barisan Nasional’s.
“(Whether or not we support PH) will be decided during a Barisan Nasional meeting,” he told Twentytwo13.
Twentytwo13 had asked Vigneswaran if MIC’s stand would differ, given that there had been a letter, purportedly signed by him, MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, and PBRS deputy president Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup, calling for the resignation of Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. However, Vigneswaran declined to comment.
The letter was submitted to BN’s secretary-general, Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, yesterday.
In it, the three component party leaders had called for a vote of no confidence against Ahmad Zahid for reneging on a BN Supreme Council decision on Tuesday to remain neutral and not support any coalition to form the next government.
The decision, according to the three, was made during a BN Supreme Council meeting that took place at 10am on Tuesday.
“Ten statutory declarations to support (Perikatan Nasional chairman) Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin were retracted following the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council decision,” the letter read.
“But Ahmad Zahid had sent a letter to Istana (Negara) at noon yesterday (Wednesday), stating that 30 BN MPs supported (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim’s candidacy as the 10th prime minister. This has clearly betrayed BN. At the same time, it conveys the wrong position taken by BN and is tantamount to treachery against the King.”
The trio urged for Ahmad Zahid to withdraw honourably as BN chairman and to be replaced by the coalition’s deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
Despite its dismal performance in GE15 – winning only 30 seats in the polls – BN has emerged as the undisputed kingmaker, with both PH (which won 82 seats) and PN (73) desperately wooing it to cross over to their side, to make up a simple majority and to form a government.
In a statement today, Kurup said PBRS would adhere to any decision by BN’s leadership to form a new, stable government.
“As BN MP, we need solidarity within BN. This is not the time to create conflict within the colaition and leadership.
“The people are relying on us again to save the country form the political uncertainty,” he said.
Wee could not be contacted.
