PETALING JAYA: MCA Youth chief Ling Tian Soon has voiced support for Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh’s call for Barisan Nasional to reassess its ties with the unity government, saying the issue must be viewed in terms of BN’s long-term interests.
“All parties should view the call by Akmal on relations with the unity government from a broad perspective for the sake of BN’s future,” Ling said in a statement.
He said Akmal’s call, made during Umno Youth’s special convention on the party’s direction in the unity government, was in line with his own policy speech at MCA Youth’s general assembly last month.
“I reiterate our position that MCA should exit its support for the unity government if the government continues to allow injustice against the people to persist,” he said.
Ling also criticised DAP leaders for failing to be effective in government.
“Not only have DAP leaders continued their insolence by repeatedly insulting Najib, they are also seen as having failed in governing the country well despite having the opportunity to sit in ministerial seats as policymakers,” he said.
At the same time, Ling said MCA remained open to working with any political coalition “as long as the ideology and struggle of the parties involved share the same goals — to be moderate and not extremist, and uphold the Federal Constitution”.
Akmal’s call for Umno to exit the unity government was made at a special Umno Youth convention yesterday to decide whether the party should continue cooperating with Pakatan Harapan.
He also used the event to push for a revival of Muafakat Nasional, the electoral pact forged between Umno and PAS in 2019 to consolidate the Malay-Muslim vote. The two parties were then in the opposition following Pakatan Harapan’s victory in the May 2018 general election.
The pact fell apart after PAS formed Perikatan Nasional with Bersatu. PAS insisted that Bersatu be included in MN, but Umno was opposed to it.
