BN to review consensus in its charter

By G. Manimaran - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — The Barisan Nasional is to review the requirement for consensus among its component parties to accept new members when the ruling coalition amends its constitution at its year-end convention.

The requirement, put up when BN succeeded the Alliance in 1974, worked in the early years but is now seen as a hindrance to widen its coalition and membership leading to unprecedented losses in Election 2008.

“It is time this aspect of consensus is looked into when amending the BN charter to ensure it’s flexible to accept new members,” a coalition source told The Malaysian Insider.

BN chairman and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced last night that the coalition is looking to recognise political parties and NGOs that are friendly.

He disclosed a special committee has been established and will be headed by Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to study the proposal and amendments to the constitution.

The BN lost its traditional two-thirds parliamentary majority and four states in Election 2008, when the opposition combined to make historic gains under the Pakatan Rakyat banner led by former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The BN source said each component party will sit on the committee chaired by Hishammuddin, who is a trained lawyer, to review the consensus issue.

He believed abolishing the consensus requirement will enable more parties to join the ruling coalition and increase its popularity.

“It is up to the BN supreme council to make the final decision after indepth studies and discussions,” he added.

The question of consensus has always bedevilled the coalition when accepting new members particularly when MIC vehemently objected to the Indian Progressive Front (IPF) from joining despite support from other component parties.

The MIC is the only party that comprises Indians in the BN, which is made up of 13 component parties.

It is understood that the question of consensus was not discussed officially when the BN supreme council meeting last night decided to consider amendments to its charter to be more inclusive.

Najib has always maintained BN must be more inclusive and target three groups such as individuals as direct members, friendly parties and NGOs.