Both MCA and MIC have dismissed the portrayal of their decision to sit out of the upcoming state elections as a “boycott”.
Instead, MIC deputy president M Saravanan said that based on the racial composition of the constituencies allocated for BN to contest, Umno has a better chance of winning.
“We call our decision not to contest in the ‘spirit of Cameron Highlands’.
“Cameron Highlands used to belong to the MIC, but we have stepped aside for Umno (to contest) because we believe Umno stood a better chance,” he said after the BN supreme council meeting at Menara Dato Onn in Kuala Lumpur tonight.
He was referring to the Cameron Highlands by-election in January 2019, which was held after an election court annulled C Sivarraajh’s victory due to corruption.
MIC had stepped aside to allow Ramli Mohd Nor to contest the by-election as a BN direct candidate, rather than as a member of a BN component party.
“We considered the seats allocated to BN, and compared to MIC, Umno stood a better chance of winning.
“What is important to us is a victory for BN, not MIC or MCA… There is no (boycott), why would we boycott? We discussed with Pakatan Harapan (and) BN,” Saravanan added.
On the ground
Meanwhile, MCA deputy president Mah Hang Soon emphasised that the party will be on the ground campaigning for BN candidates during the election, and the issue of boycotting the election does not arise.
“The meeting went well. We explained we will help BN candidates camping and (the decision not to contest). Both parties have issued statements.
“There is no (sabotage). As I have explained earlier, we will work to secure victory for BN candidates,” he told reporters after tonight’s meeting.
MCA and MIC announced their decision last week that they will not contest in the six state elections to be held on Aug 12.
MCA said at the time that this would allow the party to focus on reform and revival as it prepares for the 16th general election.
Perikatan Nasional election director Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor claimed this was a sign of protest from the two parties after being treated “unfairly” in seat negotiations and invited them to join PN, but his overtures received a flat “no” from MCA.
PN Youth deputy chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, meanwhile, believed the MCA and MIC sitting out of the election would give PN an advantage because “MCA and MIC are not helping them”. - Mkini
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