KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will announce a peace plan for MCA soon, said his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The deputy premier said he was “optimistic” of a solution to the MCA crisis as faction leaders had shown strong commitment and consensus at their recent meetings to resolve the crisis.

“I have discussed and put forward some recommendations. Most have been accepted by the party leaders,” he told a press conference after opening the local authorities convention and the National Union of Local Authorities Employees’ biennial convention today.

Najib would be briefed on the ongoing talks between the MCA factions and the peace plan would be revealed upon his endorsement, he said.

Muhyiddin had earlier said he would try to find a solution to the crisis before Najib returns tomorrow from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port of Spain.

Muhyiddin met key MCA leaders at his Bukit Damansara residence for almost three hours on Sunday night to broker a peace plan among the warring factions.

The meeting was attended by MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, secretary-general Datuk Wong Foon Meng, vice-presidents Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha, Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, Tan Kok Hong and Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

Party president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat was absent as he was warded at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM).

Asked to comment on DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang’s statement on National Civics Bureau (BTN) courses, Muhyiddin said  BTN courses were not in conflict with the laws and suggested that opposition parliamentarians experience and benefit from the courses offered.

“What is there to be kept a secret? This (BTN) is a government agency,” he said.

He said BTN courses were aimed at instilling patriotism in participants and helping them understand the history of the nation’s struggle and were only detrimental to the states that barred their staff from attending.

He said BTN had a limited capacity to conduct such courses and the government would have no problems getting government bodies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to fill the vacancies in the wake of the Selangor government’s decision to bar its staff from such courses.

“I would like to ask (Selangor Menteri Besar) Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim which legal provision empowers him to have a directive that blocks people from attending BTN courses,” said Muhyiddin.

Last week, the Selangor government issued a blanket ban on BTN courses for the state’s civil servants and employees and students at state-owned educational institutions. The Penang government on Sunday announced that it might also follow Selangor’s move.

On PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, the deputy premier said he found it difficult to understand how a person considered a religious expert could seek divine retribution to destroy the prime minister’s future.

“I can’t advise him (Nik Aziz) because he is more knowledgeable than me (on Islam). But such a stand should not have been made by a person who is said to be a religious figure,” he said.

The Kelantan menteri besar had stood by his intention to pray for Najib and Umno’s future to be destroyed if the federal government refused to pay oil royalty to the state.