Wee: Parachuting candidates can ensure big win at polls
ALOR GAJAH: Parachuting candidates to contest in certain parliamentary seats is not new as it has been practised since 1982, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The MCA deputy president said yesterday the logic behind the exercise was aimed to ensure a thumping victory in the general election.
“This is not an issue as long as the party leadership is confident of securing a victory for Barisan Nasional with winnable candidates.
“Nominating outsiders has been a norm as the party took into consideration the winning factor and other criteria,” he said after opening the Pagoh MCA division annual general meeting at a resort here.
Dr Wee said the party leadership would first evaluate the situation on the ground before deciding on naming an outsider for certain seats.
He added that the MCA was constantly formulating strategies to secure a better chance of winning and that parachuting candidates was part of the formula to serve the voters more effectively.
Recently, Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz chided Barisan component parties, saying that they would never be as dominant as Umno due to their inability to nominate locals and winnable candidates to contest in the elections.
In a related development, Dr Wee said MCA would work closely with newly-appointed Barisan deputy chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“We proposed the Deputy Prime Minister as the coalition's secondand the move was fully supported by other component parties,” he said.
On Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is the coalition's chairman, said Dr Ahmad Zahid's appointment was made in accordance with Article 8 (3b) of the Barisan constitution.
Meanwhile, Johor Barisan wants an MCA candidate to contest in Gelang Patah as the parliamentary seat belongs to the party.
Johor Barisan liaison committee chairman Datuk Mohamed Khaled Nordin said it only made sense for MCA to contest there.
“It is up to MCA to choose the right candidate and we will give our full support,” he said in Seoul.
The Johor Mentri Besar made the statement during an investment trip to South Korea organised by the state investment arm Johor Corporation.
Talk is rife that incumbent MP Lim Kit Siang will not contest there in the next election.
Mohamed Khaled welcomed Lim to stand in the Pasir Gudang parliamentary seat.
“He (Lim) will not dare to contest in Pasir Gudang as it is a Malay majority seat... he is likely to go to Sarawak,” he quipped.
Mohamed Khaled is the incumbent Permas assemblyman, one of the state seats in Pasir Gudang.