SHAH ALAM – Former MCA vice president Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker has slammed Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi over his recent remarks belittling MCA and MIC, which Ti described as 'begging for toys.'
Ti said the statement was deeply insulting not only to Barisan Nasional’s (BN) component parties but also to the very foundation and dignity of the coalition itself.
"BN was founded on mutual respect, equality, consensus and shared responsibility among its component parties.
"When its president belittles the views of his partners as if they were asking for toys, it reveals arrogance, moral decay and leadership collapse," he said in a statement.
He added that Zahid’s actions have eroded BN’s dignity, which was once a symbol of unity and political stability for over six decades.
"Zahid was entrusted with restoring BN’s honour after repeated election defeats caused by scandals and corruption allegations directed at Umno. But instead of fulfilling that trust, he traded it for personal gain," he added.
According to Ti, Zahid’s discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) may have saved him personally, but it destroyed BN’s credibility.
"Today, Zahid walks free, but BN stands humiliated. He secured his freedom by bowing to those who once accused and insulted him, while BN is now trapped in a moral crisis,” he said.
Ti also highlighted what he described as 'hypocrisy' in Sabah, where Umno was allocated only eight seats compared to 14 if the same formula as DAP’s in Peninsular Malaysia had been applied.
“Even Umno leaders admitted the offer was painful and humiliating. In the end, they returned to BN for survival and self-interest. When Umno is in trouble, it seeks BN’s shelter. But when BN’s partners are struggling, Zahid throws them under the bus. That is not leadership, that is betrayal,” he added.
He said the people of Sabah could see through the 'false unity' promoted by Zahid and DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke.
"This so-called unity is merely an alliance of power and convenience, not one built on principles or the people’s struggles. Umdap is a political marriage born of desperation and self-interest, benefiting leaders, not the rakyat,” he said.
He described BN as a 'true political legacy' that once bridged racial and political divides and reduced national polarisation.
“The lesson from Sabah is clear: when leaders abandon principles and humility, the people will abandon them too. BN will only regain respect when it reclaims its dignity, not by shielding Zahid, not by submitting to DAP’s agenda, but by returning to its founding spirit of justice, accountability, and mutual respect.
“BN is not anyone’s toy. BN is a trust, and that trust has now been betrayed,” he said.
Ti also reminded Zahid that MCA and MIC had stood by him during his prosecution by the Pakatan Harapan government.
“They remained loyal even when BN was sinking politically. To now belittle that loyalty is not only ungrateful but morally blind.
"BN needs leadership that unites, not insults, leadership that restores dignity, not trades it for personal safety," he added.