No News Is Bad News
MCA and MIC pull out of state elections - smooth sailing in seat allocations for BN-Umno and PH?
KUALA LUMPUR, July 5, 2023: Both long-time Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties, MCA and MIC, today (July 5, 2023) announced that they will not contest in the six state elections.
It sure looks like both have come to terms with political reality - that they are politically irrelevant to Malaysians.
Malaysians have soundly rejected both parties in the last three general elections (GE) and were unable to win any seat in Chinese and Indian majority constituencies.
However, this should augur well for both parties as they want to rebuild their tarnished political image to regain the confidence of Malaysians.
This also comes in the wake of post-GE15 when MCA and MIC leaders - led by their presidents Wee Ka Siong and SA.Vigneswaran and allegedly signed Statutory Declarations (SDs) to back Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin as the 10th prime minister.
Overnight, the “notorious” political duo and, at least 12 others BN MPs (including Umno heading by Hishammuddin Hussein), were branded as traitors to Umno president Zahid Hamidi.
Zahid had and is still backing Pakatan Harapan (PH) boss Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister of a Unity Government (UG) which is also supported by political blocks from Sarawak and Sabah, giving the UG a total 19 political parties.
MCA and MIC’s pullout in the Aug 12, 2023 elections in Penang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu has eased the pressure of seat allocations tremendously in BN (read as Umno) and PH (comprising of DAP, PKR and Amanah).
BN-Umno, thus, need not have the headache of allocating its majority seats to MCA and MIC. It would be ridiculous and unrealistic for BN to demand DAP, PKR and Amanah to give him their incumbency.
No News Is Bad News reproduces news reports of the MCA and MIC's pullot out of the state elections:
MCA to skip polls, will only help BN candidates
MCA says it will implement reforms within the party and focus on preparing for GE16.
FMT Reporters - 05 Jul 2023, 5:13pm
MCA secretary-general Chong Sin Woon said the decision was made by MCA’s central leadership following ‘in-depth discussions and analysis’. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: MCA has decided not to contest in the upcoming elections in six states, its secretary-general Chong Sin Woon has announced.
Chong said the decision was made by MCA’s central leadership following “in-depth discussions and analysis” and in view of the current political situation.
“(MCA) will implement reforms within the party and rise again. During this period, MCA will focus its efforts on preparing for the 16th general election,” he said in a statement.
Chong added that MCA will only help campaign for Barisan Nasional’s candidates during the state polls, since it is a component of the coalition.
“MCA holds fast to its founding philosophy, particularly that any decision taken by the party must be aligned with the Federal Constitution to ensure moderation, freedom and democracy. Preserving the rakyat’s rights and interests remains our main agenda.”
Last week, BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said MCA and MIC would be given seats to contest in all six states where elections are to be held.
Zahid, who is also deputy prime minister, said the two parties would be given suitable and “winnable” seats.
In March, MCA president Wee Ka Siong was reported to have said that the party was considering several options for the state polls, including just campaigning for BN, with MCA staying out of the polls.
Wee said MCA had tasted “more defeats than victories” in those six states since 2008, adding that the party would have a very tough time with seat talks since it had no negotiation power.
MCA Youth secretary-general Daniel Wa had also urged the party to skip the state polls after Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Adam reportedly described MIC and MCA as liabilities for what he called their “continuous failure to secure votes” for BN.
Lokman had also accused Wee and MIC deputy president M Saravanan of “betraying” BN by signing statutory declarations to back Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister after the 15th general election.
After MCA, MIC now says no to state polls
Sec-gen says party to prioritise restructuring for next general election
Updated 3 hours ago · Published on 05 Jul 2023 6:47PM
RT Rajasekaran (pic) says MIC’s decision to sit out the upcoming state polls has been conveyed to the prime minister. – Bernama pic, July 5, 2023
KUALA LUMPUR – After MCA, fellow Barisan Nasional component MIC has announced that it will be sitting out the upcoming state elections.
Its secretary-general, RT Rajasekaran said the decision was jointly reached following a four-hour central working committee (CWC) meeting on June 30.
“The decision was made after detailed discussions and considering the present political climate as well as input from all CWC members,” he said.
Rajasekaran said the party’s decision has been conveyed to the prime minister.
He said the decision was made in the party’s best interests.
“Like MCA, we will give more focus to the party’s restructuring to face the next general election.”
Earlier today, MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon also announced that the party will not be fielding any candidates in the state polls. – The Vibes, July 5, 2023
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