The Malaysian Insight

GERAKAN won’t help Perikatan Nasional (PN) increase the number of seats for the coalition in the next general election, said political analysts.

On the contrary, they said, Gerakan will only be a burden to PN because the party has always had problems being accepted by Malay voters.

Political lecturer Awang Azman Awang Pawi said in the current situation, it is difficult for Gerakan to win any seat, adding that perhaps the party is hoping to get Malay-majority seats through negotiations.

“It is certain that Gerakan will not win the seats (contested in GE14),” said Awang Azman, who is Universiti Malaya Socio-Cultural Department lecturer.

He said PN accepted Gerakan as part of the coalition to show it is open to all races and not just representing the Malays and Bumiputera.

Prime Minister and PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin last week accepted Gerakan into the coalition.

Gerakan president Dominic Lau pledged support to PN and said the party will ensure the pact’s victory in the next general election. The party joins Bersatu, PAS, Star and Sabah Progressive Party in the coalition.

Awang Azman said Gerakan is hoping to regain seats in Parliament or state assemblies by aligning itself with PN.

“And I think PN wants to show that with Gerakan joining them they are not solely a Malay coalition. They want to show a more open PN.

“Gerakan is using PN as a platform to get seats and avoid three-cornered fights.”

However, Awang Azman said such a move could be detrimental to PN and Gerakan because both could be a burden to each other.

He said Gerakan lost its influence as shown in GE14 while PN is a back-door pact that had come into power by toppling Pakatan Harapan last year.

“Gerakan is a burden to PN, PN is also a burden to Gerakan.

“Chinese voters have questioned the legitimacy of this government, which they considered a back-door government.

“In terms of political reality, the two will not get much benefit from each other.”

Gerakan left Barisan Nasional on June 23, 2018, almost two months after the coalition lost the GE14.

In GE14, Gerakan contested in 11 parliamentary seats and 31 state seats and lost all. This was the worst showing in the party’s history since its first participation in the 1969 elections.

Questionable record

Universiti Malaya’s economics lecturer Muhammad Tawfik Yaakub, however, believes Gerakan’s participation in PN could help PAS gain some Chinese support.

“The influence of Gerakan is not as big compared to MCA, but to some extent they are able to attract the support of the Chinese in certain areas.

“PAS needs the Gerakan machinery to help the party gain Chinese support in some areas contested by PAS, for example in Kedah and Perak.”

Tawfik said PN’s image was not tarnished by Gerakan’s participation even though the party had opposed the implementation of Jawi writing in primary schools.

“I see the entry of Gerakan as an effort to get seats in the election and cling to a larger political coalition and be able to win in GE15,” he said.

Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) president Aminuddin Yahya believes the Malays will continue to reject Gerakan even though it may support PN.

Gerakan’s attitude towards Islamic law and Jawi before this did not help racial integration in Malaysia, he said.

“We know the background of Gerakan, how is their attitude towards Malays and Muslims in Penang. They do not bring a lot of positive added value to national integration,” he said.

Aminuddin also said Gerakan has lost its influence and will not benefit PN.

“Actually, for us, Gerakan has expired, they look like a dead branch. I am not sure why PN wants to take Gerakan in. I do not see them having a big impact on PN.

“The Tg Piai by-election is proof that the Chinese do not support them,” he added.

In the by-election, which was won by BN in November 2019, Gerakan candidate Wendy Subramaniam only received 1,707 votes, or 4.4%.

It was the first by-election after GE14 which Gerakan contested after staying out of the previous eight by-elections.

Aminuddin said rather than taking in Gerakan, it is better for PN to collaborate with other Malay parties to strengthen the position of the Malays and Islam.

“PN should be enticing Putra, Berjasa and Ikatan. There is added value with the Malay parties joining.

“Gerakan does not bring added value… but maybe PN has to compromise. This is not a good move taken by PN because MCA and MIC are already part of the government.

“PN should further strengthen itself by bringing in a Chinese party such as Parti Cinta Malaysia that will not be a burden to them.”

Umno Supreme Council member Mohd Razlan Rafii tweeted that Gerakan was “a thorn in their side” when the party was in BN, and now the “thorn” again is disrupting cooperation among Malay parties.

“When Gerakan left BN, the thorn was removed. When Muafakat Nasional was formed, it championed the cause of Jawi writing.

“After PN became the government, the thorn is back and Muafakat Nasional is eroding,” he said, alluding to the referring between Umno and PAS. – February 19, 2021.