Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has urged BN component parties to refrain from threatening to exit the coalition, especially during a period when efforts are being made to rebuild and strengthen its position.
Speaking at the opening of the Selayang UMNO divisional meeting, Zahid emphasized that UMNO has always stood by its coalition partners—MCA, MIC, and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS)—and would continue to support their efforts in restoring their political strength.
“We are in this together. God willing, UMNO will never abandon MCA, MIC, PBRS, or even Friends of BN. That’s the spirit of our coalition,” Zahid said.
“During such trying times, no party should issue ultimatums or threaten to withdraw.”
Although Zahid did not name the party involved, his remarks came amid internal calls from an MCA division chief last month for the party to consider leaving BN and function as an independent opposition entity without aligning with Perikatan Nasional.
MCA president Wee Ka Siong has since indicated that the party’s future in the coalition will be deliberated at MCA’s upcoming annual general meeting.
When asked later about seat allocation, Zahid recalled that UMNO had in the past allowed MCA to contest in Malay-majority constituencies, such as Tanjung Piai and Ayer Hitam—currently held by MCA leaders Wee Jeck Seng and Wee Ka Siong, respectively.
“These are constituencies with strong Malay majorities that UMNO gave to MCA,” he noted, in response to former MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker’s recent comments calling for more appropriate seats to be allocated to MCA to prove its continued relevance.
Ti, who currently heads the MCA Kuantan division, had also argued that UMNO’s current reliance on DAP stems from MCA’s diminished parliamentary representation.
Zahid’s message serves as a reminder of BN’s need for internal solidarity and collective strategy as it navigates the challenges of a shifting political landscape.
