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Published: Wednesday May 8, 2013 MYT 6:06:00 PM
Updated: Wednesday May 8, 2013 MYT 6:09:00 PM

GE13: Zam suggests DAP joins BN to ensure Chinese representation in govt


KUALA LUMPUR: Former Information Minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin suggested Wednesday that DAP joins Barisan Nasional to ensure Chinese representation in the government.

He said this would obviously be diffcult for DAP and Barisan and their supporters, but needed to be done in the interest of harmony and political stability.

"It will certainly be difficult for the DAP to take the step (offer to join Barisan) and likewise for Baisan to accept, but this matter must be seen in the context of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's call for national reconciliation," he said in his blog Zamkata.

He said the Chinese, who were now in a state of euphoria, had yet to feel the pain (of not being represented in the government), but in the intermediate term, would realise the big mistake they had made (in rejecting Barisan)."

Barisan won 133 parliamentary seats out of the 222 at stake in the 13th general election on Sunday to form the government with a simple majority, while Pakatan Rakyat took 89.

Najib who took his oath of office as Prime Minister before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Monday, will not be having Chinese representation in the Cabinet to formed. This is because the MCA, which won only seven of the 37 parliamentary seats it contested, has opted to forego representation from the party in Najib's new cabinet.

Gerakan, another dominant Chinese component in Barisan, was also rejected by Chinese voters, winning just one seat.

Zainuddin said: "The Chinese community which had hoped for the destruction of the Malay dominated BN has been presented by the DAP a government without any Chinese leaders."

He said the path for the DAP to calm down the disappointed Chinese community was to offer to join the government, because it had proven itself in securing the support of Chinese voters by winning 38 (parliamentary) seats against the MCA's seven. - Bernama

For more election stories, please visit The Star's GE13 site

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