KUALA LUMPUR: Any move for federal ministers to resign following Umno's withdrawal of support for the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government must be made collectively by all Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said such a move must first be discussed with all BN component parties before the coalition or any of its component party can withdraw support for the Federal Government.
"I must say that whatever decision, it must be a collective decision.
"We have supported BN since 1974 and MCA is among the founding parties (of the coalition) that have stood together through years of loyal friendship.
"All our decisions are made collectively based on the spirit of Mushawarah (discussion). So, I feel anything I say would only be speculative since we have not had any discussions within BN," he said.
Wee who is the Transport Minister said this in response to a question on whether MCA ministers and deputy ministers were willing to resign from the Cabinet as a show of solidarity with Umno.
This follows Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi saying the party would cease its cooperation with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia in the 15th General Election.
The MCA president also said the Chinese based party would continue to support and work with the Perikatan Nasional government, as agreed collectively by BN parties, until the next General Election.
"To the best of my knowledge, among the things that I heard at the Umno General Assembly's opening was for BN ministers and deputies to continue supporting the current cabinet/government, so that the party's good name and reputation will not be affected.
"Even the official motion I read sang the same tune and it reiterated that we must support and cooperate with the current government until the next election.
"I do not want to make any predictions as to what will happen because that will only be speculative," he told reporters after launching the 'Callie Mask' here today.
The Umno general assembly also agreed to give a mandate to the party's president and Supreme Council to decide on the timeframe for withdrawing from the PN government.