Umno President Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang attend an ICERD protest in Kampung Gajah, Perak November 17, 2018. — Picture by Farhan Najib

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 — In a strongly-worded statement today, MCA Youth has accused Umno of compromising its dignity if the Barisan Nasional (BN) component decides to go ahead with a purported merger with longtime rival PAS.

The wing chairman Nicole Wong Siaw Ting called such calls for cooperation as cheap talk, telling Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his party to instead invest time in regaining the respect and support of fellow party members and the general public.

“MCA Youth believes that presently, Zahid is searching for any quarters available that Umno can cooperate with each other.

“However, this will only lower Umno’s dignity,” read the statement.

Talks of a merger gained traction after Zahid expressed his intent to work together with the Islamist party when he shared the stage with PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang in Perak at an event over the weekend.

“Perhaps, we can now understand clearer as to why Umno Youth had demanded that Zahid takes leave until his court cases are settled, after he claimed trial to 45 charges of money laundering involving RM72 million and criminal breach of trust and accepting bribes involving RM42 million,” Wong added.

Wong also warned against the party from being “naive” into believing that an Umno and PAS coalition would result in more support from voters.

“On the contrary, voting trends from the 14th general election reviewed that voters are more mature and rational irrespective of race and religion. This includes more support for openness and diversity,” she said.

She then stressed on her party’s stand against forming partnerships with political parties that violated MCA’s values and ideologies.

“Neither will MCA bow down to any political party that is bent on theocracy and extremism. This is a stand which MCA Youth will never dither on,” she said.