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PAS : KE ARAH PEMERINTAHAN ISLAM YANG ADIL
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KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Tuesday that the MCA
will not be given any additional post in the cabinet
so as not to upset other Barisan Nasional (BN)
component parties.
"We give due consideration to the MCA's request but we
can't increase the number (of posts) without upsetting
other parties," he told reporters after opening the
Third Asia-Africa Forum, here.
He said this in response to a question as to whether
the MCA will be given an additional seat in the
cabinet as requested by the party.
The BN component party reportedly asked for an
additional cabinet post prior to the suprise move by
its president, Datuk Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik, yesterday
to resign as Transport Minister, a post he has held
for 14 years.
Dr Ling, who announced his decision during the party's
presidential meeting at the party headquarters in the
afternoon, later confirmed the move to the media and
said he would not change his mind.
He did not give his reasons for resigning from the
cabinet except that he was going in a happy mood and
that "my turn to go has come".
Dr Mahathir, in his immediate reaction to Ling's move
yesterday, said that he had not accepted Ling's
decision and would ask the MCA chief to reconsider but
it was up to Dr Ling.
The prime minister also said today that he had not
received any official letter of resignation from Dr
Ling and the MCA president could still attend the
weekly cabinet meeting tomorrow.
Dr Mahathir reiterated that he would try and persuade
Dr Ling to reconsider his decision but it was still up
to Dr Ling.
Asked whether there will a cabinet reshuffle if Dr
Ling sticks to his decision, he replied: "No, I will
just fill up that post because the ministry is an
important one".
He however said that he would need to do some
adjustment because the post had to be filled by an
experienced person.
"I can't just change like that. There has to be some
adjustment... maybe appoint someone with experience.
Someone new will have to replace him (the person
replacing Dr Ling)," he said.
Asked if the Transport Ministry post would stay with
MCA or be given to other parties, Dr Mahathir said it
was not a permanent post for the MCA.
"Previously, it has also been held by other parties.
We will need to make an assessment as to who is
suitable to hold the post. This is because the post is
an important one as we have big plans to further
upgrade the transport industry," he said.
Dr Mahathir, stating he was shocked over the
development in MCA, said that he would first study the
recommendation by Dr Ling that MCA vice-president
Datuk Chan Kong Choy take over the Transport
Minister's post.
On talk that Dr Ling's resignation was a strategy by
him to settle his differences with MCA deputy
president Datuk Lim Ah Lek, Dr Mahathir said he did
not want to speculate.
On the possibility of Lim making a comeback to the
cabinet, Dr Mahathir said it was up to the MCA to make
a suggestion and he would accept it.
Asked if the development in the MCA will affect
Chinese voters' support for the BN in the upcoming
Teluk Kemang by-election, Dr Mahathir said: "It
won't".
-- BERNAMA
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