Tindakan exco MCA boleh cetus naratif perkauman, kata penganalisis

Analysts suggest that the action of MCA deputy Siow Kong Choon in spreading the decision of the State Assembly Meeting (MMKN) to exonerate Tuanku Muhriz as Yang Di Pertuan Besar could potentially undermine MCA's standing among Malay voters. Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri from Global Asia Consulting points out that Siow's announcement, as an exco member, cannot be dismissed due to the sensitive nature of the issue.

The MP, while acting in his capacity, could easily be exploited to fuel a narrative of non-Malay interference in the Malay royal institution. He warns that the controversy could create fear among Malays, thereby fostering the perception that they must be cautious of non-Malays in the political arena. The analyst emphasizes that a single post may take only a few seconds, but its sentiment could spread for years.

When fear rooted in ethnicity is used as a political tool, MCA and other non-Malay parties will suffer the consequences. The controversy began in April when four MPs accused Tuanku Muhriz of being removed as Yang Di Pertuan Besar, three of which were challenged for their legitimacy by the State Court of Justice and the High Court of the state.

On September 16, some exco members supported the statement by acknowledging Tengku Nadzaruddin as the new government of Negeri Sembilan. Siow Kong Choon was among the BN deputies who shared the proclamation on social media, while several Pakatan Harapan figures, including former Chief Minister Aminuddin Harun, Teo Kok Seong, and J Arul Kumar, openly challenged the exco's claim and urged the public to continue supporting Tuanku Muhriz.

The High Court subsequently rejected the exco's claim, but the State Chief Minister later endorsed the decision by a simple majority in the MMKN meeting on September 15. The rejection by the Attorney General's Chambers on the grounds of lack of legal basis caused the Ministry of Malaysia's Government Secretariat not to issue the proclamation.

Sivamurugan Pandian from Universiti Sains Malaysia notes that Siow's withdrawal brings political sensitivity, but cautions against assuming it will automatically weaken MCA. He stresses that while Siow acted in his capacity as an exco member, his role naturally means his actions could be interpreted as advancing the party. Some voters might view the controversy as a sensitive issue related to the royal institution and anticipate politicians acting with more caution due to the potential increase in tensions.

However, he notes that many factors depend on whether voters consider Siow's actions as political interference or merely fulfilling their institutional role.