BAGAN DATUK: The issue of MCA’s dissatisfaction with the announcement of Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates for the 16th Melaka state election will be discussed and resolved collectively before nomination day on Oct 31, said BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Zahid said he had met MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong before the candidate announcement ceremony and understood the confusion arising from the secretariat’s failure to notify the party in advance.
“I met Wee before the ceremony and, indeed, he was also surprised because he had not been informed by the secretariat that candidates would be announced at the ceremony.
“However, this is an issue that we will resolve. Yes, we will hold discussions before Oct 31,” he told reporters after officiating at the Bagan Datuk 2026 Sultan Nazrin Shah Bridge Run here today.
The Deputy Prime Minister was responding to questions about MCA’s claim that it had been caught by surprise by the announcement of candidates at last night’s ceremony.
Commenting on claims that the candidate list had yet to receive the endorsement of MCA’s top leadership, Ahmad Zahid said the initial discussions had been entrusted to Melaka BN chairman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh and the state MCA leadership.
He said there was still room for negotiations if MCA was dissatisfied with the candidates announced.
“There is still an opportunity if any candidate is not agreed upon because I have not signed the letter of appointment. So it is up to the MCA president to do so,” he said.
Bernama reported last night that MCA would not recognise any of its candidates announced by BN for the Melaka polls without the approval of the party’s top leadership.
Wee said announcing candidates without consultation and MCA’s agreement was unacceptable, particularly when seats previously contested by MCA had allegedly been allocated to other parties.
BN announced its candidates for 21 seats, including two MCA candidates: incumbent Machap Jaya assemblyman Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem and incumbent Kelebang assemblyman Datuk Lim Ban Hong.