BUTTERWORTH: Barisan Nasional has never cooperated with DAP and has only worked with Pakatan Harapan as a coalition, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Barisan chairman said any cooperation was between Barisan and Pakatan Harapan but not between individual component parties.
"Barisan has never worked with DAP officially.
"Barisan's cooperation is only with Pakatan Harapan, and DAP is a component party of Pakatan Harapan, as are Amanah and PKR," he told reporters after launching the Malaysia Makkal Sakti Party (MMSP) annual general assembly here on Sunday (Dec 21).
Ahmad Zahid said the remarks were made in respect of MCA, which has stated that it cannot accept DAP.
Ahmad Zahid said MCA, MIC and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) remained component parties within Barisan.
"Our cooperation is between Barisan and Pakatan Harapan, not between Umno, MCA or any Barisan component party directly with Pakatan Harapan component parties," he added.
He said Barisan would prioritise the interests of its own component parties, particularly during seat negotiations.
"When the time comes to decide which seats will be contested by component parties from Pakatan Harapan or Barisan, the interests of Barisan component parties will be given priority.
"This can be achieved through negotiations, and I do not see this as a major problem if there is understanding and consultation,” he said.
On applications by "Friends of BN" parties, an informal group of political parties loyal to Barisan but not full component members, to become a full component party, Ahmad Zahid said Barisan’s constitution only allowed them to be admitted as associate members, not as core component parties.
"We have a provision in the Barisan constitution for associate members.
"This means they can be recognised as political parties with associate status.
"However, there are four core parties in Barisan, namely Umno, MCA, MIC and PBRS.
"The Barisan constitution has stipulated this for the past 51 years, and it has never been amended.
"Any decision to amend it must be made unanimously by all coalition party leaders,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid said there was one party that had yet to agree to amend the constitution.
When asked to identify the party, he said it was MIC.
Though no decisions have been made so far on MIC’s position, Ahmad Zahid said he was aware of copies of letters signed by the party’s leadership being circulated, seeking readmission to Perikatan Nasional.
"This means they were previously part of Perikatan Nasional and now wish to rejoin
"If the current leadership chooses to decide otherwise, because delegates have given full authority to the party leadership to make decisions, then I want to reiterate that if they are unable to make a decision, we will make one.
"We do not want to say one thing in the morning, another in the afternoon, and something else the next day," he said.
Being a coalition on the national political stage since it formed in 1974, Ahmad Zahid said the Barisan supreme council would later discuss whether a rebranding exercise or the formation of a different entity was needed.
Also present were Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir and MMSP president Datuk Seri R.S. Thanenthiran.
