UPDATED
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has suggested allowing people to join the Barisan Nasional directly as members.
He said people should be allowed to join the BN without being members of any component parties.
The move would make BN more multiracial, he said today at the Gerakan national delegates conference here.
Abdullah, who is also the chairman of BN, said the idea would allow the people who support the government coalition to interact much closer with its leaders.
"It would be an opportunity for them to be closer to us in a formal setting," he said at a press conference later.
He added: "So perhaps BN direct membership might be a good beginning, one of the important reforms we wish to undertake."
"We want to be inclusive, not exclusive," he said.
At the opening ceremony earlier, Abdullah addressed Gerakan advisor Tun Lim Keng Yaik, reminding the latter of a conversation they had four years ago.
"You won't remember, Keng Yaik, but when I became president of Umno and prime minister, I said: 'There are Malays who do not wish to join Umno or Pas but prefer a multiracial party.
"So I said: 'Keng Yaik, open the door. Let them come in, because Gerakan is a component party of Barisan Nasional'," Abdullah related.
He observed that if Gerakan could return to its original purpose, "it will be a good attempt to be a multiracial political party".
"DAP is not multiracial, even if they presume themselves to be," he said.
"They are more interested in Chinese issues. PPP too is seen as majority Indian. Gerakan also is seen that way. To people who don't know their history, they are considered to be a majority Chinese party," he said.
He clarified that it does not necessarily diminish the role of the component parties.
Asked if this meant BN would certainly merge into a multiracial party in the future, Abdullah replied that he could not predict what would happen in the future.
"It depends on the needs of future generations," he added.
He said that details of the concept had yet to be outlined and could not say whether it would be more of a supporters' club or if members would be given formal rights as members of BN.
"In terms of details, I will not want to say at the moment. I don't know what we will call it."
Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon confirmed that the idea had been brought up at the last BN supreme council meeting where Abdullah announced he would not be defending the Umno presidency and also in private discussion between the two.
"This is precisely the ideology of multiracialism. He is endorsing the multiracial concept."
He reiterated that while the idea was being discussed by the coalition, Gerakan would offer itself as an experiment for those who wanted to work with BN in a multiracial format.
Abdullah also answered a reporter who implied that Gerakan Wanita chief Datuk Tan Lian Hoe had yesterday said that Gerakan had been pushed around by Umno by quipping: "Incorrect, incorrect, incorrect!"
He emphasised that he was not out to "create any legacy" in mooting direct membership into BN.
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