Pertikaian kerusi PRN Melaka berisiko jejas momentum MCA, kata penganalisis

Analysts caution that a dispute over the distribution of PRN Melaka parliamentary seats could weaken the momentum of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) if not resolved fairly. Liew Wui Chern, a political analyst from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, stated that the main impact of the dispute currently lies in the morale and mobilization of MCA's grassroots.

According to him, immediate action is needed to resolve the issue, especially since MCA recorded good performances in PRN Johor and Negeri Sembilan, including securing the Deputy President position of DAP, Loke Siew Fook, in Dun Chenaah. Liew emphasized that if MCA members feel their party is not respected, their support for BN's campaign could be diminished.

On Saturday, MCA's chairperson Wee Ka Siong joined the opposition, withdrawing from the BN candidate announcement ceremony for PRN Melaka due to dissatisfaction with certain allocation decisions. Wee cited instances where seats previously won by the party were given to other parties without discussion, facilitated by BN's cooperation mainly with Umno and PAS.

Although MCA won seven seats in the last PRN Melaka 2021, this time, they only secured Kelebang and Machap Jaya, which they had won earlier. BN did not announce candidates for the seven seats, all of which were contested by MCA five years ago. However, Liew noted that the situation could still be controlled by the BN chief, Zahid Hamidi, stating that the candidate list has not been finalized as of the candidate-naming day on October 31.

Liew believes the most practical step for MCA is to use the dispute to strengthen their position in the discussion rather than continuing to leave BN. However, Tawfik Yaakub from Universiti Malaya views MCA's decision to leave the meeting as emotional and premature, as well as their chief's failure to resolve the crisis and engage in discussions.

In Melaka, despite being expected to not win seven seats as in the 2015 PRN, MCA could change seats and request lost parliamentary seats in the upcoming PRU16 through negotiation. They could also benefit from negotiations by obtaining the vacant former Speaker seat in DUN.