KUALA LUMPUR: MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan said a healthier mechanism could be established for BN through the discussion on the choice of prime minister in the BN meeting.

"It is a positive development to allow BN to discuss and decide on the choice of prime minister, and this will lay a healthier and more solid foundation for the ruling coalition."

He said during an exclusive interview with Sin Chew Daily that since independence UMNO president has automatically become BN's president, and as the party commanding the largest number of seats in the Parliament, the party's leader is also the natural choice for the country's prime minister.

"History offers a source of reference, but the changing times will bring about different development trends. It is a positive move to establish a selection mechanism at this moment. Who knows, the other component parties may win more seats than UMNO in the future."

He said regardles whether BN is able to implement a healthier selection mechanism, it is already an established fact that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will lead BN in the next general elections.

He said MCA has very high expectations for Najib, and hoped that under the new leaderships, BN and MCA would lead the country out of the current economic doldrums and regain the hearts of the voters.

Ong Ka Chuan, who is also the housing and local government minister, urged the government to review the existing policy of enforcing 30% bumiputra quotas on housing developers.

"This is a step backward, and a stumbling block for economic and housing development."

He said property sales should be based upon the current supply and demand situation, and to housing developers, the ethnic backgrounds of purchasers should not become an issue.

"To a developer, as long as you want to buy, I don't care what race you are. It is therefore hardly convincing to say that bumiputras need quotas to help them, or they can't get houses to buy." (Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)