PUTRAJAYA: The Gerakan is prepared to exchange four seats with other component parties of the Barisan Nasional (BN) for the 14th general election (GE14), said its president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong.
The statement by Mah, who is also the Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, was in line with the decision of MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan who was reported to be prepared to make the changes or lend the seats in Penang.
Without naming the seats concerned, Mah said the exchange involved seats in the State Legislative Assemblies and Parliament in Penang and other states.
He said the matter had been discussed with the leaders of the other component parties in the BN namely Umno, MCA and MIC but the decision was still subject to the approval of the BN chairman, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
“We are in the final stage of deciding the four seats to be exchanged whether in the State Legislative Assembly or Parliament,” he said when approached by the media after the monthly assembly of his ministry, here yesterday.
Mah said the exchange of the four seats concerned would be announced after obtaining the approval of Najib, who is also the Prime Minister.
Ong was earlier reported as saying that the Penang MCA would not object if there were exchanges or lending of seats involving the party and other BN component parties to ensure victory for the BN in the state in GE14. — Bernama