PETALING JAYA: Political analysts have dismissed the possibility of MCA and MIC joining Perikatan Nasional (PN), even if just for the state elections, saying their fundamental ideals do not align.
James Chin of the University of Tasmania said the two parties, which have been a part of Barisan Nasional (BN) since its founding in 1973, disagreed with PAS’ desire to make Malaysia an Islamic state.
PAS, a component of PN along with Bersatu and Gerakan, has 42 seats in the Dewan Rakyat while Bersatu has 31.
Chin expected MCA and MIC members to revolt if the two parties really were to join forces with PN.
“There is no way,” he told FMT. Even if the parties were offered election seats, “they can’t take it up”.
Azizuddin Sani of Universiti Utara Malaysia said there was a distinctly wide ideological difference between PN and Barisan Nasional.
“I cannot see MCA or MIC defecting because the brand of politics is very different between BN and PN. They stand to lose more if they join PN.
“MIC and MCA should concentrate on strengthening their parties and prove that they deserve to get seats in the 16th general election (GE16). Here, they must help to ensure the unity government remains intact,” he said.
Last week, MCA and MIC announced that they will stay out of the Aug 12 elections in Kedah, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.
In response, Kedah PN chief Sanusi Nor invited the two parties to contest in the state polls under his coalition. MCA president Wee Ka Siong responded by rejecting the invitation.
Meanwhile, Azmil Tayeb of Universiti Sains Malaysia said having MCA and MIC in the fold for the state polls would still fail to help PN attract Chinese and Indian voters.
He said 90% of non-Malays had voted for Pakatan Harapan in the 2022 general election, adding that Sanusi’s invitation was merely an attempt to show that PN was multiracial.
“Perhaps this is a strategy to show that PN is not solely Malay-Muslim, that it includes non-Malay components such as Gerakan, MCA and MIC,” he said.
PN won 74 seats in the parliamentary elections last November. The coalition, led by Muhyiddin Yassin, wrested a large chunk of Malay support from BN, which put up its worst general election performance yet by only winning 30 seats. MCA won two while MIC won one.
