Wee: Members will decide if MCA will leave BN

KUALA LUMPUR: Party members will decide if MCA will remain in or leave Barisan Nasional, says party deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

Dr Wee, who is running for the party's top post, said that this decision was not his to make and would be left to delegates at the MCA general assembly on Dec 2.

He said this at the Parliament lobby on Thursday (Oct 25), when asked to comment on former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin's remarks that MCA would remain with Barisan.

"It is not for me or Khairy to talk about the future of these two parties," said Dr Wee, adding that neither he nor Khairy were leaders of their respective parties.

However, he said that they would work closely on various issues, including the opposition's alternative budget.

"My working relationship with Khairy is on those issues concerning rakyat," he explained.

"I am the only representative from MCA. I must get friends within the opposition to support my views.

"So it is very common for all of us to work together based on issues and in the best interests of the people," he said.

Gan Ping Sieu, the other MCA presidential candidate, has pledged that the party leave Barisan if he wins the presidency, saying that the party must reinvent itself and form new alliances or risk slipping into oblivion.

Gan and his running mate Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, who is eyeing the deputy president post, are known as team GanTee.

They are taking on team WeeMah comprising Dr Wee and Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon, who are vying for the top two positions as well.