MCA – a Barisan Nasional component party – has an unlikely support following BN’s decision to shortchange the party with merely two seats. The party had traditionally contested seven seats.
BERSAMA co-leader Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli pointed out that UMNO had forgotten that MCA and the Chinese voters had saved UMNO twice in the past.
There were two occasions when MCA saved UMNO. First, was in the year 1988 when UMNO was declared illegal.
“Many don’t realise that when UMNO was declared illegal, BN’s acting chairman was MCA president Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik. If MCA acted up like how UMNO is backstabbing and getting new allies, there wouldn’t be an UMNO now.”
He said this during the ‘Jelajah Trak Kancil Melaka’ event in Pengkalan Batu last night.
UMNO that heads BN offered seven seats to Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the Melaka state election. In doing so, it drastically reduced the number of seats that MCA can contest.
Rafizi also explained that it was both MCA and MIC that retained UMNO in power during the general election in 1999.
“In 1999, it was the Malays who rejected UMNO. It was MCA and MIC that saved UMNO. Chinese and Indian voters then retained their support for UMNO. That is why UMNO retained power even though it lost a state and some seats.”
PAS retained Kelantan and gained Terengganu in that year.
BERSAMA is contesting against BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) in the Melaka state election. Nomination day is on Oct 31 and polling day is on Nov 14
Another coalition, too have offered seven seats. But the seven is for embattled PN party – Bersatu.
Bersatu had a fallout within PN after PAS decided to cut ties with it.
PAS vs Bersatu
Meanwhile in an unrelated political development, PAS that leads PN announced that it will take disciplinary action against Bersatu for violating the coalition’s constitution.
The announcement was made PN’s supreme council meeting held yesterday.
PN secretary general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said that Bersatu can be slapped with a range of action ranging from a warning to removal from PN.
Bersatu did not attend the meeting on grounds that the validity of PN is being determined in court.
The Registrar of Societies had deregistered PN as it violated its constitution. PN however succeeded in overturning the decision in court. The Attorney-General Chambers has appealed against the decision. – Oct 26, 2026
Main image: Rafizi Ramli (Youtube)
