MCA president hopeful Dr Wee Ka Siong disagrees with his rivals’ proposal to meet Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to discuss a possible collaboration.

The deputy president said any form of collaboration between MCA and other parties must be “complementary” and receive the nod from a majority of members.

“We have clearly said we can do cross-party collaborations. Why not?

“But I didn’t say who we are going to collaborate with, or that we will cooperate with anyone with the most power.

“What is important now is to determine the basis of cooperation. I do not want to give the perception that MCA is itching to get back in power.

“We need to avoid that at all costs. I think MCA should first perform its role as an opposition party well,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Wee, who is MCA’s sole MP, said his election manifesto, unveiled on October 16, clearly states that cross-party collaboration will depend on the issues at hand.

He said he does not discount the possibility of cooperation with any party, unless their principles are incompatible with MCA’s.

MCA has room to grow as an opposition party, he said, but it must perform its check-and-balance role well in the next eight to 10 years.

“Realistically speaking, MCA is in the opposition. If we work hard to be a constructive opposition party and gain the people’s respect, speak up on issues affecting the people that DAP won’t touch on, we can rise again.”

MCA deputy president candidate Tee Siew Kiong previously said he and his running mate, Gan Ping Sieu, who is eyeing the party’s top post, would meet Dr Mahathir to discuss the possibility of a collaboration if they win the party polls.

However, Gan later clarified that the meeting is to inform the prime minister of MCA’s views on the new Pakatan Harapan government.

Gan said the party will oppose government policies that do not benefit the people, not just in Parliament, but also via other channels, adding that meeting Dr Mahathir is one such way.

Wee, in a statement, said Gan is being a hypocrite as he had, in the past, said Dr Mahathir was damaging the country’s economy and causing trouble for Chinese businesses.

“Tee did not discount collaborating with Dr Mahathir, who he said is a democratically elected prime minister, while Gan said there can be no collaboration with Bersatu.

“With one person speaking about collaboration, and the other saying no, can we hand the party’s leadership to these two, who can’t get on the same page?” – October 31, 2018.