Muhyiddin discourages MCA leaders from issuing statements

(Bernama) — Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is seeking the cooperation of all MCA leaders to refrain from making any statement because such statements will reflect continuing conflicts in the party.

Muhyiddin, who is also the Barisan Nasional deputy chairman, said that in the process of finding a formula for a settlement, it was better for the leaders not to make any statement.

“Once we have reached a consensus, only then do we issue a statement and maintain a good image. If under such circumstances, A says this, B says that, C says something else and D too says something else.

“To me, this will confuse the community, and the MCA members certainly want to see how we want to resolve the problem,” he told reporters after chairing the 7th Meeting of the National Minerals Council, here Tuesday.

He said this when asked to comment on the various views and statements made by MCA leaders in resolving the party’s internal crisis.

Muhyiddin said such statements would not help and there certainly were differences in opinions and that was why a solution was being sought so that there would be consensus in the decision to resolve the problem.

“So, until it is resolved, there is no need to issue statements. They should just keep quiet and this will not affect their credibility,” he said.

Asked on the claims by certain groups that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and he had intervened in the MCA crisis when support for MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Kiat was strong, Muhyiddin said : “Even we were not keen to do it right from the start but the Prime Minister, as Barisan chairman, perceived the situation as getting out of hand.

“If asked, they will agree with that view and no one would say that the MCA was getting stronger,” he said.

He said that could probably be the view of a certain group who had ulterior motives.