KUALA LUMPUR: Two leaders of Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties have differing views on the proposal to institutionalise Muafakat Nasional, the Umno-PAS consensus.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong has said that while he supports the spirit of Muafakat Nasional between Umno and PAS, he is more comfortable with the current political collaboration between opposition parties without it being institutionalised.
Speaking to reporters when met after the Policy Speech by Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the 2019 Umno General Assembly, the Ayer Hitam Member of Parliament said as of now, MCA has no problem with the political collaboration for as long as it did not move away from universal values.
“This means that in certain cases, regardless of which party, we will move together. It (the current collaboration) is not contradictory to the rukun negara, does not go against the constitution ... I do not see why we should reject this (current) collaboration,” he said.
However, MIC president Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran said the party was prepared to be under Muafakat Nasional if it was institutionalised like Barisan Nasional (BN) which comprised several parties.
He said with the collaboration, opposition parties would appear stronger with one objective and direction, as well as avoid friction between component parties.
Vigneswaran said he wants a transparent and systematic collaboration to ensure there are no clashes between the component parties.
On Thursday, Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said so far, Umno and PAS have not reached a decision on the proposal to institutionalise Muafakat Nasional and it all depends on the report of a study by the technical committee of both parties. — Bernama
