Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's kindness in allowing MCA and Gerakan leaders to join the cabinet despite both parties suffering massive defeats at the last national polls has puzzled an Umno leader.
Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman ( photo ) asked why MCA and Gerakan were given the chance by the "kind hearted" Najib.
He said they should be blocked from joining the cabinet due to their poor results and cautioned them to buck up.
"I want to remind MCA and Gerakan leaders, this is the last chance they have.
"We should let them see the reality that they should not 'tumpang' (take a ride along with Umno). Don't take things for granted," he was quoted by Sin Chew Daily as saying.
The prime minister should have been stricter then and demanded their leaders to ensure the Chinese votes for BN, he said when officiating Arau Umno division annual assembly yesterday.
Failing which, he added, these leaders should be roped into the cabinet.
The Umno supreme council member pointed out that both MCA and Gerakan were not so active when they campaigned in the last general elections, and instead were dependent on Umno to support them.
The defeated candidates were appointed in the cabinet, Tajuddin said.
"We are willing to share the ups and downs with them, but they can't keep on expecting us to help them," he added.
Breached the BN spirit
MCA president Liow Tiong Lai, who officiated the Selangor MCA annual assembly, described Tajuddin's statement as repulsive, and has breached the BN spirit.
"BN's spirit is based on cooperation and share of victory. It should not blame and humiliate any single party, which suffered loss," he said as quoted by Sin Chew Daily .
He urged Umno leaders to cease issuing statements which would not see BN winning the hearts of the voters.
The transport minister argued if MCA had lost in general elections, then BN would not be in power either.
"What we want is for BN to reinstate the spirit of cooperation... rather than a 'big brother' issuing orders. MCA will not buy this," Liow ( photo ) said.
"Tajuddin has arbitrarily humiliated the policy of power sharing of all races in BN. BN government's decision maker is the BN supreme council. He can't behave in such an atrocious manner," he condemned.
"He has no right to speak on behalf of BN. He should shut up instead of sabotaging BN party members," said Liow, who is also Bentong MP.
The MCA leader reminded Tajuddin that the coalition would not be able to rule if it lacked the spirit of BN, and without the cooperation from Sabah and Sarawak.
"Tajuddin will only be an opposition lawmaker then. What rights does he have to blurt out such words?" he asked.
