Gerakan vice-president Datuk Mah Siew Keong urges Barisan Nasional component party leaders to use their good offices and wisdom to stop the “press war” over seat allocation.

Mah said whatever differences and opinions by both component parties of the Barisan Nasional should be discussed and settled within the confines of the BN framework.

“Let’s not have an open quarrel over the matter. It will not be beneficial to both parties and BN. Today, you attack me, tomorrow I reciprocate. In the end, opposition will have the benefit,” said Mah in a statement.

Mah said that the war of words between leaders of both parties might cause bitterness, besides hurting the feelings of grassroots members.

He said that as BN leader and as MCA president, Dr Chua should not thank the Kepong Umno division chief for asking Gerakan to give way to MCA to contest the Kepong parliamentary seat in the next general election.

“In fact, Dr Chua should advise Kepong Umno to support the candidate decided by the BN. It is the norm and practice that all candidates decided by the BN should be supported by all the component parties. This is the consensus of the BN and it must always prevail,” Mah said.

“We should know who is our actual political enemy, we should unite and fight them. So don’t waste our energy and time on the seats argument. Let the BN supreme council & PM to decide, don’t argue or discuss openly,” he said.

“Lately, certain component party of BN has been openly attacking Gerakan at national and division levels, so it is against BN spirit. Gerakan has been controlling its members to refrain from retaliating against such attacks. If the attacks continue, it is hard to stop them,” he added.

Mah said all BN component parties should focus on their service to the people and regain their support.

Mah also pointed out that it was too early to talk about the candidate for Kepong because Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also BN chairman, had not announced that a general election would be called soon.

The Kepong issue came to light after Kepong Umno chief Datuk Rizuan Hamid had suggested on Saturday that the MCA contest the Kepong parliamentary seat instead of Gerakan.