SEREMBAN: Every party is free to retain their respective ideologies under the Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional electoral understanding for Negri Sembilan, says MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
This electoral understanding is also not a merger between Barisan and Perikatan, he said.
“Strategic cooperation does not mean compromising on our politics. Rather, it is to avoid confusion and political instability,” he told a press conference at Wisma MCA here yesterday.
Each party, he said, would hold on to its own ideology and stance while continuing to act as a check and balance on the others.
Dr Wee said the two coalitions were cooperating in selected seats to avoid multi-cornered clashes that could split votes and cause political uncertainty, with the aim of forming a stable and efficient state government so that Negri Sembilan continued to develop.
Within the arrangement, he said, MCA’s role was to ensure the Chinese community, the plural society, vernacular education and religious freedom had representation and a voice in government.
“MCA will oppose any policy that undermines the rights and interests of Malaysia’s diverse communities,” he said.
What the people need, he said, was not endless political bickering but a government able to resolve issues such as water supply, roads, jobs, floods, business matters and the rising cost of living.
Dr Wee said that political fragmentation would open up even greater space for extremism.
Barisan is the only party capable of uniting the middle ground, defending our plural society and building a stable government, he said.
“Choose the stability of Barisan and defend the diversity of Negri Sembilan,” he said.
Dr Wee revealed that the final decision on electoral understanding was reached at about 1am on July 15, while he was in London for his daughter’s wedding, with secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon and state MCA chairman Datuk Leaw Kok Chan representing him in talks with the top Barisan leadership.
He had briefed all prospective candidates before flying off on July 12.
“What is important is that we want to form a government. That is why Barisan is contesting in only 25 seats – seats where we believe we have winnability,” he said, with the remaining seats left to Perikatan.
On the unexpected multi-cornered fights in several seats, Dr Wee said anyone eligible was free to contest in a democracy.
“We may be facing three, four or five-cornered fights. What we must do now is focus on the fierce contests expected over the next two weeks,” he said.
Also present were Wanita MCA chief Datuk Wong You Fong, information chief Chan Quin Er, election preparation bureau deputy chairman Chuah Hock Guan and Sabah MCA leader Chin Kim Hiu.
