BARISAN Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is hopeful MCA will change its mind about not campaigning for the unity coalition’s candidate in the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election.

Zahid, who is the Umno president, said he hoped MCA would stump for for its long-time political rival DAP, which is defending the seat.

Several MCA leaders have said they will not campaign for the DAP candidate because of the insults the party leaders have levelled at the Chinese party.

“We understand their feelings. However, we hope that the situation will change once the coldness (towards DAP) subsides,” Zahid said at the nomination centre today.

DAP’s Pang Sock Tao will defend the seat for Pakatan Harapan.

DAP has held the seat since 2013.

The May 11 by-election was triggered by the death of three-term assemblyman Lee Kiong Hiong of DAP.

In last year’s Selangor elections, Lee won the seat for Pakatan Harapan in a four-cornered fight with candidates from PN, Muda, and Parti Rakyat Malaysia.

On an old video clip of Pang criticising BN while campaigning in the last general election, Zahid said for all parties in the unity government to move on.

“What’s in front of us is a new political situation. We need to close the old chapter and open new ones.”

DAP publicity secretary Teoo Nie Ching said the video was from November 2022, before the unity government was formed. – April 27, 2024.