KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional is not in danger of disintegrating, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"Do you want to see it fall apart? We will never allow that!" he told a press conference after chairing the supreme council meeting.

Asked whether recent challenges were tearing the coalition apart, Abdullah responded by likening the coalition to a football team: "We are very aggressive. But we play the same game and we are aiming at one goal (post) - that of the opponent. And we must win."

The controversial racist comment by Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail during the Permatang Pauh by-election last month had caused unease among the Chinese, including Gerakan, which ticked off the Penang leader.

Instead of apologising, Ahmad asked Barisan to sack Gerakan for causing chaos among the component parties and asked for Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon to be stripped of the state Barisan chairman's post.

Penang Gerakan severed ties with Penang Umno after 13 of its division leaders backed Ahmad at his recent press conference where he defended his stand. Supporters also took down and tore Dr Koh's picture.

Penang MCA also said it was severing ties with the Bukit Bendera Umno division over the issue and would not attend any of its activities until the matter was resolved.

Asked about the status of ties between Penang Umno and the state Gerakan and MCA, Abdullah said: "I believe with the action Umno is taking against him (Ahmad), ties will be restored."

He said it was important that in any programme organised by a Barisan party, the other component parties would also participate and work together so that it would get overall support.

He said Barisan component parties should always work together in dealing with any threats, challenges or obstacles.