Wee said that it would be 'meaningless' for MCA to continue to work with BN if both parties had different principles. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Umno cannot unilaterally make decisions on behalf of Barisan Nasional and partner with PAS without prior discussion with other component parties, MCA said today.

Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, MCA’s sole MP who is running for the post of party president, said that it would be “meaningless” for MCA to continue to work with BN if they had different principles.

“The fate of BN does not lie in Umno’s hands alone. If they cannot commit to mutual respect for their coalition partners as is expected and instead, proceed to partner with PAS without prior discussions with MCA, then MCA will not hesitate to cut ties with Umno,” Wee said in a strongly-worded statement today.

Wee is currently the outgoing MCA deputy president.

Yesterday, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said that BN would be rebranded with a new name, ahead of its efforts to retake Putrajaya in the next election.

Zahid reportedly said the new BN will include five core parties, bloc partners and other NGOs, and had expressed hope that Islamist party PAS will continue to be a political partner.

In response, Wee reminded Zahid that there is no longer any future for a “mono-ethnic political path”, and that a pivot towards that path will be one of destruction.

Prior to its defeat in the 14th general election, BN had comprised 13 parties.

There are now only five component parties: Umno, MCA, MIC, myPPP and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah.