[UPDATED] Zahid assures MCA talks on Melaka candidates remain open

BAGAN DATUK: Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has given an assurance that negotiations on MCA's candidate list for the Melaka state election remain open.

The assurance follows dissatisfaction within MCA over the coalition's candidate announcement.

Zahid confirmed that MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong was surprised after not being informed earlier about the candidate lineup announced at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) in Melaka last night.

"True, he was also surprised because he was not informed by the secretariat about the candidate announcement. However, we will resolve this issue.

"We will hold discussions before Oct 31," he said when met at the Bagan Datuk District Sultan Nazrin Shah Bridge Run here today.

Commenting on claims that the MCA candidate list announced by BN had not received formal approval from the party's central leadership, Zahid left the matter to Melaka BN chairman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.

"I leave it to Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, the Melaka BN chairman, as he may have discussed the matter with the Melaka MCA chairman and leadership.

"There is still room if those candidates are not agreed upon because I have not signed the credentials. So, it is up to the MCA president to do so," he said.

Earlier, the media reported that Wee's walkout during the BN candidate introduction ceremony for the Melaka election last night had raised questions regarding MCA's stance on seat allocations.

Wee was also understood to have asked MCA members to leave the event at MITC.

The walkout was believed to be linked to MCA's dissatisfaction over the seats allocated to the party for the Melaka state election.