KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — MCA yesterday decided to remain as a Barisan Nasional (BN) component party.

The MCA central committee in a statement said the decision was to strengthen the cooperation between the various races and to ensure there was no racial-based political inclination. 

"The MCA central committee chooses to remain in BN and MCA wants to prevent race relation to tilt towards Malays against non-Malays. The diversity aspect cannot be ignored in the political landscape,” the statement said.

It further said that Umno and PAS cooperation was unavoidable, but component parties who intended to work with any party should take into account the principle of consensus and diversity in BN.

Earlier, the media reported that MCA in its last annual general assembly resolution proposed a mandate given to the BN central committee to dissolve the coalition and initiate the creation of a new coalition.

However, on March 8, BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan announced that MCA and MIC to remain as BN component parties. — Bernama