KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) says it has resolved the seat allocation issue involving MCA for the Melaka state election.
BN Melaka chairman Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh confirmed the matter when met at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre here today.
"The issue has been settled," said the Melaka chief minister, who earlier attended a closed-door ceremony to present candidate appointment letters for the election.
Rauf was responding to questions on the latest developments in negotiations over MCA's seat allocation ahead of the polls.
Earlier, Ab Rauf attended a closed-door ceremony to present BN's candidate appointment letters for the state election.
However, MCA candidates were absent from the ceremony as the party's seat allocation remained in the spotlight.
They were instead waiting for the outcome of an emergency party meeting at Wisma MCA this afternoon.
Among the BN candidates seen at the ceremony were Siti Aisyah for Ayer Molek, Datuk Dr Fairul Nizam Roslan (Asahan), Datuk Zulkiflee (Taboh Naning), Datuk Dr Mustafa Musa (Durian Tunggal) and Datuk Khaidhirah Abu Zahar (Rim).
MIC candidate for the Gadek state seat, S. Nadarajah, was also reported to have attended after receiving an invitation to collect his appointment letter.
Yesterday, BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed that a special discussion with MCA leaders on seat allocation for the Melaka polls had concluded positively.
The discussion involved MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and Rauf.
MCA had earlier reportedly insisted that it would not recognise any of its candidates announced by BN for the Melaka polls without the party's top leadership approval.
Wee was reported to have said that announcing candidates without consultation and MCA's consent was unacceptable.
He also claimed that seats previously contested by the party had been allocated to other parties.
The dispute had raised questions over the status of two MCA incumbents announced as BN candidates last Saturday night — Datuk Ngwe Hee Sem for Machap Jaya and Datuk Lim Ban Hong for Klebang.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd