KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today outlined four steps that must be taken by MCA to restore its strength as the number two party in the Barisan Nasional (BN).
Addressing party delegates when opening MCA’s 60th annual general meeting at Wisma MCA here today, he named the four steps as “reunite”, “restrategise”, “reinvigorate” and “re-establish”.
He told the delegates, who will be electing the new leadership line up of the party today, they neeed to reunite to avoid disunity and factionalism.
“Each time there is an (MCA) election, there are splits, so MCA as a party loses its clout because of this. Therefore, take this (election) as perhaps the last call for the party. Perhaps this is the last call from the Chinese community, no longer a wake-up call. We must close ranks (after an election), be magnanimous in victory and gracious in defeat and take it (today’s election) as a competition in the family without any bitterness in this fight,” he said.
Present were MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong, MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, MIC deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S.Subramaniam and BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.
Najib, who is also BN chairman, said MCA had started to use the second step, namely restrategise’ by reviewing its weaknesses and strengths after its poor performance in the 13th general election.
“We must continue to be confident that the power-sharing formula of BN is the best in the country. We must hold on to the cooperation between communities, Bumiputeras, Chinese and others. Because, if we are not together, I worry about the future of the nation. The only way is for us to return to the principles and spirit of our forefathers which are still relevant today and will be in the future,” he said.
He said the BN did not prevent its component parties from making any demands, but they must be made in the context of the spirit and principles of the federal constitution.
-BERNAMA
