“If BN does not resolve this fast and behind closed doors, it will have an impact on its image, particularly where the coalition’s unity and decision-making process is concerned,” said Kamarul Zaman Yusoff, who teaches at Universiti Utara Malaysia.
He was referring to Kayveas’ expression of unhappiness with Tengku Adnan for asking him to contest in the Segambut parliamentary seat instead of Cameron Highlands.
Speaking at the unveiling of myPPP’s election manifesto, Kayveas said: “Maybe Tengku Adnan should try and stand in Segambut. Maybe he can win that seat.”
Kamarul criticised BN’s apparent tardiness in making its decision on Kayveas’ candidacy.
“BN should have made the decision much earlier, especially since Kayveas is the leader of a component party,” he said.
“It’s too late to move him to Segambut. It’ll be a tough fight because he will be up against DAP’s Hannah Yeoh, who is quite popular.”
Another analyst, former Universiti Malaysia Sarawak lecturer Andrew Aeria, said it looked as if BN didn’t care too much about myPPP.
“The party has no clout; that’s why it’s being bullied by Umno,” he said. “But other component parties who are seeing this might think that if it can happen to myPPP, it could also happen to them.”
Aeria criticised Kayveas for recent statements which he said were against the BN spirit. He said he should remember that people would vote for the “dacing” and not for him.
He added that it was unlikely Kayveas’ outburst would affect Indian support for BN because Indian voters didn’t place high importance on personalities.
“Many Indians are still marginalised,” he said. “So they will vote for parties they think can help them more, be it from BN or Pakatan Harapan, rather than individual leaders.”
Umno Supreme Council member Nazri Aziz said he felt sorry for Kayveas and advised him to accept that BN had all along reserved Cameron Highlands for MIC.
“I hope he will be patient and remember that he has received a lot of support from the prime minister,” he said.
The current Cameron Highlands MP, G Palanivel, won the seat in the 2013 general election when he was MIC president.
MIC Youth chief Sivarraajh Chandran is believed to be his party’s preferred choice for the seat in the coming election.
Click here to get live updates throughout the GE14 season