MIPP and Gerakan: PN’s invisible men

 Gerakan and MIPP seem perfectly content to sit in the back seat of a driverless car heading straight towards a cliff.

From Moaz Nair

If you ever feel ignored at work, underappreciated by your friends or are generally invisible to the human eye, take comfort. You could be the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) or Gerakan.

In the grand corporate hierarchy of Perikatan Nasional (PN), these two are the interns who don’t get invited to the lunch table, yet somehow believe they are next in line for the CEO’s position.

To say that MIPP and Gerakan bring no clout to PN is a profound insult to the word clout.

They are the political equivalents of plastic indoor plants – supposed to add a splash of “multiracial colour” to a very green room – except the plants have withered, the owners keep forgetting to water them and the landlords are currently trying to evict the entire building.

The political future of these minority component parties in PN has become one of the most ironic talking points in modern Malaysian politics. Critics, political analysts and observers frequently debate their position, although “debate” might be too active a word. It is more akin to watching two passengers argue over who gets the window seat on a bus that has already driven off a cliff.

MIPP: from bold newcomers to zero-vote club

Let’s start with MIPP, the bold newcomers whose political future in PN is currently the hottest topic among three guys at a coffee shop. MIPP entered the scene with the explosive energy of a damp firecracker. At its grand electoral debut in Johor, it contested five seats and managed a spectacular, flawless clean sweep of losing their deposits in all five.

MIPP’s standing within a major coalition remains precarious precisely because it has demonstrated a rare, mathematically impressive lack of an independent base. Yet, MIPP’s confidence remains unshaken by minor details like numerical reality.

Recently, the party announced it would completely sit out the Nov 14 Melaka state election after seat distribution talks with the PN leadership broke down. The official reason? President P Punithan bravely declared that the party refuses to compromise its dignity or accept “irrelevant” seats just to field candidates.

Translation: PN offered it a constituency consisting entirely of three palm trees and a stray cat, and MIPP chose “dignity” over another hefty loss of deposit. This breakdown signals deep friction over how minority component parties are treated by the dominant Malay-Muslim parties in PN.

The ideological mismatch here is staggering. MIPP is trying to pitch a minority-interest narrative in a coalition heavily dominated by PAS’s religious and conservative Malay narratives. It’s like trying to sell vegan burgers at a Texas steakhouse and acting surprised when the chef throws a spatula at you. It is incredibly difficult for a minority-interest party like MIPP to gain genuine traction among non-Muslim voters while standing next to politicians who view secularism as a design flaw.

Ultimately, MIPP’s decision to bypass Melaka highlights the ongoing, tragicomic struggle for minor non-Malay component parties to find an equal voice in a house that doesn’t even know they are in the room.

Gerakan: master of the secular submissive

Then we have Gerakan, the veteran master of political irrelevance. The argument that Gerakan has no future in PN is a view increasingly shared by political analysts, critics, and even internal party factions who have grown tired of buying antacids in bulk.

Political observers highlight several compounding crises that threaten Gerakan’s long-term viability in the coalition. First and foremost is its utter inability to attract non-Malay voters. Gerakan originally joined PN to serve as its non-Malay face, a bridge to the cynical urban electorate. Instead, it has become a cautionary tale, repeatedly failing to win over non-Malay voters from Pakatan Harapan, particularly DAP.

This has trapped it in the “shadow dilemma” – a polite academic term for operating entirely in the shadow of its larger partners, PAS and Bersatu. Because Gerakan brings minimal electoral data or seat victories to the table, its leverage in PN is roughly equivalent to a discount voucher that expired during the Asian financial crisis.

The ideological friction between Gerakan’s secular principles and PAS’s Islamic stance peaked hilariously during the school brewery donation saga. When PAS attacked the fund-raising, Gerakan deputy president Oh Tong Keong threatened to exit the coalition over “extreme” demands. PAS responded with a collective yawn, and Gerakan naturally stayed – proving that its red lines are drawn in invisible ink.

Naturally, this masterclass in political submission has triggered an internal rebellion. High-profile departures – such as the resignation of 31-year veteran and party treasurer Hng Chee Wey – underscore a growing internal revolt against sacrificing core principles for political expediency. These exits expose deep cracks under president Dominic Lau, as grassroots members grow tired of watching their leadership nod politely while being publicly sidelined.

PN’s burning house

To make matters funnier, the house that Gerakan and MIPP are clinging to is literally on fire. The broader PN coalition is undergoing severe structural shocks, with PAS announcing the end of its political cooperation with Bersatu, triggering a chaotic power struggle and the sudden resignation of top PN leadership.

The Registrar of Societies even ordered the coalition’s deregistration, and while a temporary court reprieve saved it from legal oblivion, persistent internal rifts cloud the bloc’s political future. It is a civil war where the big boys are throwing live grenades, and Gerakan and MIPP are caught in the crossfire armed with plastic cutlery.

What is Gerakan’s next move? Political analysts suggest that leaving the coalition may be a risk worth taking compared to staying and enduring further humiliation. Yet, Lau has indicated that Gerakan is trying to pivot by backing a broader PN-Barisan Nasional electoral tie-up for future stability.

Yes, you read that correctly. While PN is on the verge of structural collapse and PAS is actively exploring independent realignments with Umno, Gerakan is trying to build a bridge to a party that doesn’t know it exists, using a blueprint that is already out of date.

Conclusion

Gerakan risks being completely left behind unless it thoroughly recalibrates its political alignment. But that would require a sense of direction, and right now, both Gerakan and MIPP seem perfectly content to sit in the back seat of a driverless car heading straight towards a cliff, arguing over who gets to hold the auxiliary cable. - FMT

Moaz Nair is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT