PKR urges MCA and MIC to campaign beyond BN candidates

SHAH ALAM - MCA and MIC should reconsider their decision only to support Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates in the state polls for the sake of the Unity Government, says PKR communications director Lee Chean Chung.

He said that despite not contesting, the BN component parties can still campaign for other parties in the coalition as a sign of unity and cooperation.

"We hope they can reconsider the decision. To compete or not is actually a political move. So, if they decide not to contest, then they can campaign.

"On what basis it was made, we don't know because it was an internal BN's decision, so I leave it to them to resolve it.

"It's just that for the sake of the strength of the joint government, they can reconsider it," he told Sinar on Thursday.

He was responding to MCA and MIC's decision not to contest in the state polls and expressed that they would only help candidates from BN.

MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon said that the decision was reached after in-depth discussions and considering the current political situation.

MIC secretary-general RT Rajasekaran said that the stance was taken after examining the current political situation and listening to each member of the Central Working Council (CWC).

In the meantime, Chean Chung said that both the parties' decision to contest or not also depends on negotiations within BN.

"Just like Pakatan Harapan (PH), they also took the same step by negotiating how many seats they can get, need to be distributed and compromise among themselves.

"But in terms of campaign, it needs to happen and they are also part of the Unity Government.

"If one doesn't like the candidate in an area, it is normal, but we have to do it for the sake of duty and the party," he explained.