Speaking to FMT, MCA vice-president Ti Lian Ker said the party was “very firm” in its stand and “knew what it was doing”.

“Why do we not want to leave? We are a founding member of BN and we do not believe it should be hijacked for other agendas.

“We have a duty to protect the BN spirit and objectives of bridging the racial and religious gap between the many different people of this country.”

Ti was responding to Mohamad Hasan’s statement that the party should just leave BN to allow Umno and the remaining component parties to rebuild the coalition.

At MCA’s annual general meeting over the weekend, the party passed a resolution for the dissolution of BN to pave the way for the formation of a new coalition.

Ti said the issue was not about MCA running away but holding on to the principles and spirit of the BN.

“You built a house together with others, you don’t abandon it without knowing how it will be used in the future,” he said, adding this was a “responsibility” MCA owed to the founders of BN.

He added that this was not an “overnight decision” and that due consideration and the voices of grassroots had to be taken into account.

“Our AGM made the correct decision. Those who do not understand where we are coming from, should not pass judgment from outside.

“We do not want to argue, for us a decision has been made. We are firm and clear, MCA is pushing for a dissolution of BN.”