BN secretary-general Mohamed Rahmat was reported to have said that the ruling coalition would be studying the possibility of amending its constitution to allow parties representing minority ethnic groups to join the BN. At present, the decision of admitting new membership was by consensus.

Currently, coalition members representing minor ethnic group could effectively veto the entry of new applications that they viewed as real or potential rival for constituency or seat allocation in order to ensure their monopoly. The MIC did just that to the Indian Progressive Front (IPF) for over five years. Thus, this proposal must be music to the ears of IPF leaders and members.

The MCA lost its monopoly of representing the Chinese Malaysian community when Gerakan joined the BN in 1974. Gerakan has occupied the prestigious chief ministership of Penang  Chinese Malaysians, 30.4 percent.

Most Indian Malaysian leaders in the opposition were reluctant to take on MIC candidates and would prefer to contest against MCA or Gerakan candidates in predominantly Chinese or mixed seats. But MCA and Gerakan have grown in strength. In the 1999 general election, they were able to defeat all the opposition Indian candidates fielded against them. If that was an emerging trend of the voting behaviour of non-Indian Malaysian voters, Indian Malaysian candidates cannot be expected to be given such seats to contest.

Opposition's role

If opposition Indian Malaysian candidates cannot defeat MCA or Gerakan candidates, and the MIC candidates are increasingly threatened or defeated by Malay or Chinese Malaysian candidates, Indian Malaysians may find their voice reduced and increasingly marginalised.

On the other hand, if they all agree to contest in the seats allocated to MIC, they would preserve the community's representation in parliament as well in the various state assemblies.

Another alternative to preservation the Indian representation is the introduction of multi-member parliamentary and state constituencies along the lines of the group representative constituency (GRC) in Singapore. But Singapore has a unicameral legislature.

One other proposal worth pondering is that of PAS, of appointing minority ethnic representation.

MIC parliamentary constituencies
1995 1999 Gain/Loss BNSV
1. Sg Siput: S Samy Vellu V Dr Jeyakumar-DAP
15,610 5,259 -66.4% +5,942
M=30.2% C=42.2% I=22.4% O=5.2% Turnout=31,095 (65.58%)
683 supporters of BN state candidates did not vote for Samy Vellu.
2. Tapah: S Veerasingam V Kamaruddin Awang Teh-Keadilan 9, 851 5,639 -42.8% +6,571
M=43.1% C=35.2% I=12.3% O=9.4%
932 supporters of BN state candidates did not vote for Veerasingam.
3. Hulu Selangor: G Palanivel V Dr Halili Rahmat-Keadilan 15,952 8,595 -46.1% +14,148
M=49.14% C=30.78% I=19.22% O=0.86%
5,553 supporters of BN state candidates did not vote for Palanivel.
4. Subang: KS Nijar V Irene Fernandez-Adil 25,763 7,152 -72.3% +13,858
M=48.65% C=32.62% I=18.51% O=0.22%
6,706 voters of BN state candidates did not vote for Nijar.
5. Kapar: P Komaladevi V Dr Dzulkefley Ahmad-PAS 18,759 2,860 -84.8% +8,730
M=56.66% C=30.42% I=12.87% O=0.05%
5,870 supporters of BN state candidates did not vote for Komaladevi.
6. Teluk Kemang: SA Anbalagan V G Gobalakrishnan-DAP 22,077 9,942 -55.0% +12,052
M=45.6% C=34.3% I=18.3% O=0.8%
2,110 supporters of BN state candidates did not vote for Anbalagan.
By-election in June 2000: S Sothinathan defeated Ruslan Kassim by a majority of 5,972 votes (a further reduction of 3,970 votes or 39.9%).
7. Segamat: S Subramaniam V Tey Gey Yan-DAP 17,567 10,430 -40.7% +14,079
M=42.55% C=47.36% I=10.01% O=0.08%
3,649 supporters of BN state candidates did not vote for Subramaniam.

MIC state constiuencies
1995 1999 Gain/Loss
1. Sungkai (Perak): P Ganesan V R Pathamanathan-DAP 5,754 2,454 -57.4%
2. Pasir Panjang: M Munihany V Sidek Noor-PAS 6,628 535 -92.0%
3. Hutang Melintang: G Rajoo V Anna Dorai-Adil 6,542 1,995 -69.5%
4. Lunas: Joseph Philomin Fernandez V M Kathiravelo-DAP
By-election December 2001: Saifuddin Nasution (Keadilan) defeated MIC candidate 		7,236 4,700 -35.0%
5. Bukit Selamban (Kedah): V Sarawanan V Dr Hamdan Mohd Khaleb-PAS 7,365 5,894 -20.0%
6. Perai: Dr K Rajapathy V S Neelamekan-DAP 1,690 2,739 +62.0%
7. Ijok (Selangor): AP Sivalingam V Krishnan-DAP 6,797 3,166 -53.4%
8. Kota Raja: Kamala Ganapathy V Khalid Abdul Samad-PAS 10,182 2,325 -77.2%
9. Sungai Tua: V Jugarasah V Razali Ramli-Adil 7,377 449 -94.0%
10. Sabai (Pahang): M Devendran V Woo Chee Wan-DAP 1,355 1,090 -19.6%
11. Jeram Padang (NS): Rajagopal V Ibrahim Yusof-Adil 4,790 2,784 -41.9%
12. Sri Rusa (NS): C Yogavel V K Arumugam-DAP 3,167 1,819 -42.6%
13. Bukit Asahan (Melaka): R Raghavan V Zainon Jaafar-Keadilan 3,567 2,283 -35.1%
14. Pasir Gudang: K Balakrishnan V Azam Haron-PAS 18,213 17,307 - 5.0%
15. Tenggaroh (Johor): S Krishnasamy V Terng Liok Seng-Keadilan 7,956 7,551 -5.1%

The BA fielded nine non-Indian Malaysian candidates (seven Malay Malaysians and two Chinese Malaysians) against the MIC — thus threatening 60 percent of its candidates. The success of these BA non-Indian Malaysian candidates would have wide implications on the Indian Malaysian community. BA must review such a move in the next general elections in order not to antagonise the Indian Malaysian community.

Except in Johor where Malay Malaysians appear to be still solidly behind the Umno and BN, the disaffection of Malay Malaysian votes in the other states in Peninsular Malaysia poses a serious threat to the political survival of the MIC state candidates.

If this trend continues, MIC candidates may be wiped out in several states in the next general election. The political dilemma of the Indian Malaysian is not only a problem of the BN but also of the BA. A disenchanted Indian Malaysian community may destabilise Umno, MCA and Gerakan. They will also impact on the DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (assuming the merger between Keadilan and PRM becomes a reality in October), and also to PAS, but perhaps to a lesser degree.

KC HO holds a BA, MA (Hons) in politics and LLB (Hons). He was a journalist and secretary-general of the National Union of Journalists. He was also a US Congressional Fellow. Feedback can be directed to kc_ho@mail.com