(Oct 12): Tan Sri Ong Tee Keat would have initiated a referendum on MCA’s future in Barisan Nasional, if he were still heading the party.

The former MCA president said the referendum on the Chinese party’s fate in the ruling coalition can be taken either from its members or the Chinese community.

“If you ask me what my view is, of course, I would handle the situation differently compared with what the current leaders are doing.

“If need be, we certainly need to go for a referendum within the party or community, on whether we should stay within the coalition. That is my take,” he said at a press conference at the Perdana Leadership Foundation today.

Ong was part of a crop of senior Barisan Nasional leaders present at the press conference denouncing Putrajaya's use of a new security law, the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), against government critics.

MCA is a senior partner in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition but its poor performance at the 2008 and 2013 general elections has left it struggling to regain support from the electorate.

Critics have accused the party of being unable to rein in Umno, whose leaders at times are said to have made racially charged statements.

Yesterday, BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak defended MCA, saying that it was not a silent party but had been consistently giving its views on a range of national issues during both Cabinet and BN meetings.

“MCA has sometimes been painted as a party that is not vocal. MCA is not a silent party of BN. I can vouch for that.

“Whatever the issue, whether it is the yellow or ‘red shirt’ demonstrations, the Low Yat incident or 1MDB, MCA always gives their views and I respect their views,” Najib had said, listing the hot-button issues in his speech at the party’s 62nd annual general assembly. – The Malaysian Insider