The Malaysian Insight

THE Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which ruled largely unchallenged for more than 60 years has been tainted by allegations of racism and corruption and should be disbanded, said political analysts.

Last week, Gerakan announced its decision to leave the pact, following in the footsteps of Sarawak’s former BN component parties. The only parties remaining in BN are Umno, MCA and MIC.

“The brand has been tainted,” said Dr Amir Jeniri of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

“If you ask me, just disband and form a new coalition once the parties are stronger,” he said.

Dr Amir said he will not be surprised if MIC and MCA will be the next to follow in Gerakan’s footsteps.

“They need to think fast and they need to take drastic action,” he said of the two parties, who claimed to represent the ethnic Indian and Chinese communities, but were all but wiped out in the last general election.

BN lynchpin Umno must also decide quickly on the party’s direction before it can hope to be strong enough to form a new coalition, said political analyst Khoo Kay Peng.

“(Umno) has to take sides on what it wants to be; a multiracial party or a party that (is) chummy with Pas?,” he said.

“Maybe when Umno is stronger, it will get other parties to join and form a new coalition with a new name.”

Merdeka Centre’s Ibrahim Suffian agreed, saying that the identity of BN or a new coalition is anchored on Umno, which is holding its internal elections this week to choose a new leadership line-up after former president Najib Razak stepped down.

“It will also depend on Umno’s decision on what it wants to be,” Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insight.

The Alliance was formally registered as a political organisation on 30 October, 1957. It was the ruling coalition of Malaya from 1957 to 1963, and then Malaysia from 1963 to 1973. The parties came under the umbrella of the Barisan Nasional in 1973.

BN was defeated by Pakatan Harapan, led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in the May 9 general election.

The pact currently holds on 56 seats out of Parliament’s 222. – June 25, 2018.