Several leaders said it would be unfair to compare PN’s recently established non-Malay components with parties such as MCA, which have been active in politics for decades.
Bersatu associate wing information chief R Sri Sanjeevan said his wing was less than three years old, while the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) has only been in PN for just over a month.
He also said he had no objection to working with MCA, which has a strong support base, grassroots and machinery to attract non-Malay support.
“When we say we are ready to work together with MCA, this does not mean that the Bersatu associate wing, MIPP, or Gerakan is not strong enough to pull in the non-Malays. It is simply because we were only recently established,” he said.
The suggestion that the cooperation was necessary because PN’s non-Malay components lacked “bite” was made by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia analyst Kartini Aboo Talib.
Kartini’s comments came after Azmin said the coalition was studying several strategies to attract non-Malay support, including the possibility of working together with MCA.
Azmin, the Selangor assembly opposition chief said such a pact was not impossible, seeing as the Barisan Nasional (BN) component party appears to have been sidelined by the unity government’s apparent focus on DAP.
However, MCA Youth information chief Neow Choo Seong said the party intends to remain in BN, and has not thought about forming new political alliances, including with PN.
Meanwhile, MIPP deputy president S Subramaniam claimed PN has already seen an uptick in non-Malay support – especially among the Indian voters – between the 15th general election in 2022 and Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election earlier this month.
He said PN’s Indian voter support had stood at less than 5% in GE15, but rose to 21% in the state elections last August, with Selangor alone recording 14%.
“During the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election, Indian support for PN rose to 30%.
“Does this mean MIPP lacks bite as a component party? Although we only just joined PN, we have successfully garnered considerable Indian support,” he said.