NO COMPONENT PARTIES, FRIENDS OF BN MARGINALISED - AHMAD ZAHID

SANDAKAN, July 21 (Bernama) -- None of the component parties of Barisan Nasional (BN) and Friends of BN were marginalised, in fact all were treated well, said BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The Deputy Prime Minister said all BN component parties and Friends of BN are always engaged to discuss various issues.

In fact, he said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong who is also the BN vice chairman was given the honour of speaking and opening the Sabah BN Assembly and the Sabah BN Convention today proving that component parties are important for BN.

"In the past by-elections and general election, seats were also allocated, although not all, but we gave Friends of BN the opportunity to contest. There is always support for each other.

"We don't want negative views or interpretations from friends or those outside BN to saddle us, we take care of ourselves," he said at a press conference after closing the Sabah BN Assembly and Sabah BN Convention in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary and Golden Jubilee Celebration of BN here, today.

Also present were BN vice chairman Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup who is Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president, BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and Sabah BN chairman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin.

Earlier a news portal quoting sources claimed that the grassroots of MCA, which is one of the component parties of BN along with UMNO, MIC and PBRS, is no longer happy with the party's position in BN and feels marginalised in the current government.

Commenting further, Ahmad Zahid said that if the appointment of government positions, especially Ministers and Deputy Ministers, is an issue, he explained that the matter is under the Prime Minister's jurisdiction.

"If they do not have a representative in the cabinet under the Prime Minister, God willing, when there is a meeting I will whisper the matter so that he can give opportunities to the leaders in the BN components.

"If not even in the cabinet, maybe other places so as to be given the opportunity for other party members to be together, as they have experience," he said.

He said that only those outsiders know the intention of issuing such an interpretation to BN, but the important thing is that efforts must continue to be made for BN to continue to rise in the national political arena.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said BN will take legal action against Rembia assemblyman Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis who joined PAS.

"Even though Muhammad Jailani joined PAS in June last year, he only issued a statement recently. He should remember that before becoming a candidate he signed several documents.

"The party will take legal action based on the document he signed," he said.

-- BERNAMA