Should “irrelevant” MCA and MIC be given posts in the Madani cabinet?
MCA and MIC are unhappy about being sidelined in the Madani government, and their leaders have been making their grouses known to the press, based on recent news reports.
One of those reports, which was published by Free Malaysia Today on July 25, reported that both parties are feeling sidelined by the government as they have not been given any positions in the cabinet, local councils or government-linked companies (GLCs). FMT quoted party leaders who spoke to the media outlet anonymously.
Both parties are also unhappy with Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman cum Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who had promised them back in 2022 that they will have representations in the Cabinet.
One of FMT's sources from MIC even said that both parties were treated with respect by Perikatan Nasional - which joined forces with BN in leading two unelected governments from 2020 to 2022 - and that party grassroots are suggesting the Indian party to join forces with PN.
The obvious sidelining of both parties is sparking speculations that both parties might choose to leave BN at one point and join forces with PN - which had extended the olive branch to these parties before but was rejected.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim might have heard about the grouses from these parties about the zero representation in his Cabinet. But what can he do about it?
Also, what do both parties expect him to do? Reshuffling the cabinet for the second time so that their leaders could become ministers? No way.
Such a reshuffling exercise would be a waste of time and would backfire on Anwar as he would be accused of creating a bloated cabinet out of political expediency that would waste more of taxpayers' ringgit. The prime minister does not need such criticism - especially when he is already being lampooned left and right for the slow pace of reforms undertaken by his government and the rising cost of living.
All these chatters about MCA and MIC being ignored by the government raise a pertinent question: Do MCA and MIC deserve government positions given how irrelevant they are now?
At present, MCA has two seats - Ayer Hitam and Tanjung Piai (both in Johor) while MIC only has one - Tapah in Perak.
Out of 611 state seats in the country, MIC and MCA have only five and eight seats respectively. These seats are concentrated in Johor and Melaka. Both parties have zero presence in other states. Of course, they have been trying to win seats in Kedah, Perak, Penang, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur since 2013, yet they keep losing to Pakatan Harapan - especially DAP and PKR.
Both parties have been treated as pariahs by the Chinese and Indians who have long-held resentment towards them for having enabled the systemic racism, corruption and incompetency fostered by Umno in Malaysia for a long time. Both parties are nothing but “sad jokes” to the non-Malays.
Their leaders no longer command respect among these communities as they are no accomplished figures like the late Wong Pow Nee, VT Sambanthan, Samy Vellu or Tan Cheng Lock.
The state these parties are in right now is best described by a Malay proverb - “hidup segan, mati tak mahu” - which means living in a dire condition.
With very little representation in national and state politics, MCA and MIC do not have the influence that makes them forces to be reckoned with in Malaysian politics. No political coalition eager to win non-Malay votes could place their bets on MCA and MIC to deliver those votes for them.
Of course, people ask: What about Warisan and UPKO? Why do they get positions in the Madani cabinet when Warisan has three seats while UPKO only has two? Well, it is because Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim needs the backing of prominent parties in Sabah and Sarawak to survive. Also, UPKO is part of PH. How can Anwar afford to neglect the party?
The prime minister could not afford to ignore the major parties in Sabah and Sarawak as these parties play the custodian role of the communities in these Borneo states, and Anwar needs their backing to make inroads into these communities. The same could not be said for MCA and MIC - who have long lost the role of custodians for their respective communities.
Besides, losing MCA and MIC’s support would do nothing much for Anwar given their nearly diminished influence in Malaysia. But the same could not be said for Gabungan Parti Sarawak, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and Sabah's Parti Warisan - who altogether - could provide a lot of numbers for Anwar to form the next government post-GE16.
These Borneo parties would be able to provide lifelines to Pakatan Harapan if the latter fails to get a simple majority needed to form the next government post-GE16.
The Borneo parties could give PH a two-thirds majority or more in the Dewan Rakyat, but not MCA and MIC.
Also, it is worth pointing out that Anwar would be likely to offer cabinet posts to a political party if it has something to offer on the table such as a significant support base that Anwar needs to tap into for his political survival.
But when MCA and MIC have been soundly rejected by the vast majority of non-Malays, then why bother rewarding them with positions in the Madani cabinet or local councils?
Maybe MCA and MIC leaders should be thinking about this before complaining to the press anonymously about their current predicament.
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