MCA will contest the Melaka state election after a meeting with Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders produced positive results, BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on 27 October.
Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said the meeting involved MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh. He said the formal announcement would be made by the Chief Minister, whom he had given the mandate to do so.
He was speaking to reporters in Durian Tunggal, Alor Gajah, after closing a training programme at Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka.
MCA had earlier said it would not recognise any BN candidates for Melaka announced without its top leadership’s approval. Wee said naming candidates without consulting the party was unacceptable, citing reports that seats MCA previously contested had been given to other parties.
BN’s list of 21 candidates, announced at the weekend, includes two from MCA: incumbent Machap Jaya assemblyman Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem and incumbent Kelebang assemblyman Datuk Lim Ban Hong.
Asked about voter unhappiness over candidate changes in some constituencies, Zahid said the matter would be resolved internally and that such disputes were common to all parties at election time. He said there would be no further changes before nomination day on 31 October. Polling is on 14 November.