Seat dispute could impede MCA’s revival, says analyst
A political analyst warns that a seat allocation dispute within the Barisan Nasional coalition could hinder MCA's recent electoral momentum. MCA leaders staged a walkout during a candidate announcement, signaling frustration over being sidelined in the upcoming Melaka state election.
Why it matters
Internal coalition tensions can significantly impact election outcomes and the political stability of regional governments.
Analyst Liew Wui Chern said MCA members would be discouraged from helping BN campaign if they felt that their party had been disrespected.
PETALING JAYA: An analyst has warned that the dispute in Barisan Nasional (BN) over seat allocations for the Melaka election, which prompted a walkout by MCA leaders during the unveiling of the coalition’s candidates, could impede the party’s revival.
Liew Wui Chern of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman said the disagreement could affect MCA’s morale and the mobilisation of its machinery for the Nov 14 polls, especially in view of its recent electoral achievements.
At the Johor polls in July, MCA won eight seats, surpassing DAP’s haul of six and overturning a record over the past decade of consistent losses to its rival in urban, Chinese-majority seats.
At the Negeri Sembilan polls, meanwhile, MCA won two seats, ending its 13-year absence from the legislative assembly.
Liew Wui Chern.
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