BARISAN Nasional (BN) has left open the possibility of changing its MCA candidates for the Melaka state election, with chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi saying final appointment letters have yet to be signed and discussions will be held before Oct 31.
Zahid said the issue could be resolved following dissatisfaction within MCA over the coalition’s candidate announcement at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) last night.
He confirmed that MCA president Wee Ka Siong was surprised by the announcement because he had not been informed in advance by the secretariat.
“Yes, he was also surprised because he was not informed by the secretariat about the candidate announcement. However, we will resolve this issue.
“We will hold discussions before Oct 31,” he told reporters at the Sultan Nazrin Shah Bridge Run in Bagan Datuk today.
Zahid said he had left the matter to Melaka BN chairman Ab Rauf Yusoh, who may have discussed the candidates with MCA’s state leadership.
“There is still an opportunity to make changes if the candidates are not approved, as I have yet to sign the appointment letters. It is up to the MCA president to do so,” he said.
Wee reportedly walked out of the candidate announcement ceremony at MITC and was understood to have asked other MCA members to leave, amid discontent over the number of seats allocated to the party.
The dispute has raised questions over MCA’s endorsement of BN’s candidates ahead of the state election, although Zahid’s remarks indicate that negotiations remain possible before the formal appointments are finalised. - October 25, 2026