Zahid confident MCA, MIC will remain with BN

Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is confident that MCA and MIC will remain in the coalition despite the offer to join another party ahead of the coming elections in six states.

Zahid, who is also Umno president, said the party that made the offer was known for taking opportunities whenever there was an election, whether a by-election or general election.

"Whenever there is a by-election or state election, or more commonly during general elections, they will start making offers to other parties to join them.

"But I am confident that MCA and MIC will remain with BN," he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Zahid had been asked to comment on Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) election director Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor’s offer to MCA and MIC, urging the parties to discard BN and join the pact for the coming state elections.

In his response, he said both parties had been an integral part of BN. 
 
When asked about the decision by former Putrajaya deputy Umno chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz’s decision to join Bersatu, Zahid said he wished him all the best and that Umno and BN only needed loyal leaders.

On a statement by DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng who claimed that a "green wave" would destroy Buddhist temples as per a report by Chinese daily China Press, Zahid said such a statement had been repeated to tarnish the image of Lim.

"I read the report, it happened a long time ago but was repeated to tarnish the name of Lim Guan Eng. 

"I feel even if we have different political ideologies, the difference will be based on good morality in politics but should not retort to character assassination," he said.