‘MCA not giving up Bandar Tun Razak’
We won’t let go of seat unless there is a swap with Umno, says Liow
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA will not let go of the Bandar Tun Razak seat unless there is a swap with Umno and will contest in all its traditional constituencies in Kuala Lumpur.
Party president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said Federal Territory MCA would be contesting in five traditional seats in Kuala Lumpur – Cheras, Seputeh, Bukit Bintang, Wangsa Maju and Bandar Tun Razak.
He denied that MCA would let go of the Bandar Tun Razak seat to Umno.
“This is not true – unless there is a swapping of seats. So far, there is no such discussion,” he said yesterday, adding that any swapping would be done internally, within Barisan Nasional.
Liow was speaking to reporters at the Chinese New Year open house organised by the Federal Territory MCA and Bandar Tun Razak MCA in Taman Ikan Emas.
Some 3,000 people attended. Several Umno leaders reportedly voiced intentions of their party, instead of MCA, contesting in Bandar Tun Razak.
Liow said MCA had shortlisted its Bandar Tun Razak division chief Datuk Chew Yin Keen as the candidate for the parliamentary seat.
Bandar Tun Razak was won by former PKR leader Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim in the 2013 general election, defeating Barisan candidate Tan Kok Eng by an 11,832 majority.
Abdul Khalid, formerly the Selangor Mentri Besar, had since left the party.
Liow said MCA was also discussing the possibility of swapping cer tain seats with Gerakan.
“We are still discussing state and parliamentary seats and have yet to reach an agreement,” he added.
Liow also urged the Chinese community to support MCA and Barisan so that they would have representatives within the ruling government.
“If the Chinese continue to vote for DAP and the Opposition, the Chinese will be sidelined. We will be out of the corridors of power.
“I urge all Chinese living in this area to support MCA so that we will have representatives within the ruling government,” he said
MCA, said Liow, had been striving to win back the support of the Chinese, adding that it was confident of regaining this in the general election.
“This is based on the responses I get when I talk to the people,” he added.