Umno Youth advises MCA, MIC restraint over new political alliance

Umno Youth has advised MCA and MIC, two of the three component parties of Barisan Nasional (BN), to exercise restraint over their intended move to explore a new political alliance.

Its chief, Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki (above), said the two parties should place the people’s interests above the parties.

“On behalf of Umno Youth and BN Youth, I suggest MCA and MIC not adopt their stand in haste and in a fit of anger … it is better to have discussions,” he told reporters after visiting two chronically ill people at their homes in the Jabi state constituency yesterday.

Asyraf was asked to comment on the joint statement issued by MCA and MIC yesterday calling on the BN Supreme Council to hold a meeting immediately to decide on the fate of the coalition.

BN now comprises UMNO, MCA and MIC, the three founding members of its predecessor, Alliance.

In the joint statement, signed by MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong and MIC president Tan Sri SA. Vigneswaran, the two parties said they are mulling a new alliance because the BN coalition no longer reflects unity among the three parties.

“When there is no mutual respect and there is a breach of unity in diversity within the component parties of BN, the very foundations of BN have been challenged and threatened," they said.

They also said that the uncalled for racial remarks by BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz during a recent political ceramah in Semenyih have further damaged the ties among the three founding parties.

The two parties said the appointment of Umno leader Mohamed Nazri as the BN secretary-general itself is illegal and not recognised by both MCA and MIC.

- Bernama