KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional component parties should continue to stay united and not be swayed by rumours, said MCA secretary-general Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan.

He said Barisan needed solid support from all the component parties, especially in these times.

Ong was responding to remarks by PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that several MCA MPs would join PKR soon and that the MCA would likely be the first to leave the coalition.

Ong reiterated that MCA Members of Parliament were loyal to the party and Barisan.

“MCA MPs are elected to serve the people. There is no question of them quitting to join the Pakatan Rakyat,” Ong, who is Housing and Local Government Minister, said after opening the 4th International Fire Protection Expo and Forum at the KL Convention Centre here yesterday.

He said the component parties had decided to set up four divisions to look into improving Barisan Nasional and to ensure it remained relevant.

The divisions would look into strengthening the Barisan leadership at all levels, improving the present mechanism, improving the racial composition of civil servants and its relationship with the media.

On housing, Ong said his ministry would obtain feedback on how higher petrol prices have affected the housing industry by this week.

He said he had discussed the matter with building material suppliers, the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association of Malaysia and Master Builders Association of Malaysia (MBAM) last week.

He said the ministry would study the proposals and suggestions from the industry on how to lessen the burden over the escalating cost of building materials.

He was commenting on a statement by MBAM president Patrick Wong that house prices needed to be raised by 30% due to the hike in building materials and petrol prices.

Ong admitted that the escalating building material cost would definitely burden the people, especially those from the lower income group.

“We are looking at restructuring taxes for certain construction materials such as tiles and toilet equipment,” he said.