MCA gets full backing from Tangga Batu Umno division

MELAKA: Tangga Batu Umno division has given its full support to return the parliamentary seat to MCA for the party to contest in the 15th General Election (GE15).

Division chief Datuk Seri Mohamad Ali Mohamad said the seat, which was previously known as Batu Berendam, has been entrusted to MCA by Barisan Nasional leadership during a collective decision on Monday.

“Tangga Batu Umno with 70 branches will give our full support to the MCA candidate during GE15.

“Furthermore, Batu Berendam was previously an MCA seat and contested by the party before it was renamed,” he said during a gathering on Monday night.

Mohamad Ali said they would work hard on the ground to assist the MCA candidate during campaigning.

“We will accept the decision by the Barisan leadership with an open heart.

“For us, it is more important for Barisan to wrest the seat from PKR.

“There are about 24% Chinese voters in the constituency,” he said.

In GE14, PKR’s Rusnah Aluai won the seat after defeating Barisan candidate Datuk Zali Mat Yasin and Zulkifli Ismail of PAS with a majority of 4,659 votes.

Rusnah has been re-nominated by PKR to defend the seat.

With the latest development, MCA is set to contest two parliamentary seats – Tangga Batu and Kota Melaka.

Separately, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali is not expected to be contesting the Masjid Tanah parliamentary seat.

It is learnt that Barisan leadership took into account the wishes of the grassroots not to field a serving chief minister as a candidate.