Barisan Nasional is said to be working on the option of amending its charter to allow parties friendly to the coalition to become its associate members, according to sources.  

They reveal that the BN-friendly parties will not be accorded ordinary membership but associate membership, and say this is the "middle path" expected to be endorsed by the coalition's top leadership and heads of all the existing component parties.

"If we are to allow the BN-friendly parties to become full (ordinary) members, then we will earn the wrath of the current BN component parties as some of these BN-friendly parties are splinter parties of the components.

"Furthermore, if they are made full members, then they will have to be allotted seats under the BN come general elections. So far, we do not see any BN component wanting to give up their seats for these parties," the sources told Bernama .

The BN has set up a special committee headed by Umno vice-president Hishammuddin Hussein and comprising representatives from each of the BN components to study the matter and the methodology to be employed if the coalition is to go ahead with the amendment.

Any decision taken by this committee must be endorsed by the BN top leadership and must obtain the green light from all the component parties according to the consensus system practised by the country's oldest political coalition.

The BN resorted to overhauling its system after a dismal performance in the 2008 general election when the coalition lost four states - Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor - to the opposition and failed to recapture Kelantan.

Perak is back with the BN after three opposition state assemblymen quit their parties to become independents and pledged their support for the coalition, hardly a year after the general election.

Need to stay relevant

The 2008 general election made the BN realise that it needs the support of "others" like sidelined political parties and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for it to stay relevant in the nation's political landscape.

The political parties knocking on the BN's doors include the Indian Progressive Front (IPF), the newly formed Makkal Sakthi Party, the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma), just to name a few. Several NGOs are also expected to apply to join the coalition.

"It (the BN membership) is not in the form of direct membership. What we are considering is a flat membership or associate membership. But they have to vouch that they are behind us. They will also not be allowed to contest any seat.

"Apart from this, these associate members will not be allowed to sit on the BN supreme council. There will be some recognition for these associate members but not seats to contest or seats in the BN top decision-making body," Upko (United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation) secretary-general Wilfred Madius Tangau confirmed when contacted by Bernama.

MIC president S Samy Vellu declared on Tuesday that the largest Indian-based party in the country was not against the BN proposal to allow membership for friendly individuals, political parties and NGOs.

He said the party would assist and support Prime Minister and BN chairperson Najib Razak to strengthen the coalition.

"The proposal to have direct membership will be discussed thoroughly by all component parties in the spirit of mutual understanding and brotherhood," he said, adding that that party would discuss the proposal "behind closed doors" and participate actively in the discussion "when the time comes".

"The MIC's official stand with regard to the direct membership proposal is that we did not reject it at any point of time. I want this to be clearly understood by all quarters," he added.

Meanwhile, political analyst Dr Denison Jayasooria, when contacted, said the BN should come up with a clear guideline on the matter as this will make it easier for those wanting to join the coalition.

"As I understand, they are now drafting the changes to the BN charter or constitution. It must be clear and not have any loophole. We have seen how party hopping and such has become a problem.

"So, it is only right that the BN committee set up on the matter comes up with a clear-cut definition as to who can and who cannot join the party. One of the burning questions is about those who left the coalition and joined the opposition but want to return. How are they going to handle such a case?

"Will they decide the matter on a case-by-case basis? If this is so, then there will be some who will cry foul if they are not allowed to join the coalition. All these must be sorted out," he said.

Direct membership 'better' 

Political analyst Dr Sivamurugan Pandian, however, believes that direct membership is much better than associate membership as the BN needs all the help it can get to garner the support lost in the last five years.

He said the task now will be to tackle the voters, who are generally divided into three segments. There are the traditional voters (hardcore BN voters), BN-friendly voters (those who support the BN but do not want to join any component party) and the fence-sitters (those who will look at the issues raised by the BN as well as the opposition).

"The only thing is that they have to look into the issue of who are willing to sacrifice their seats and the issue of whether the NGOs, if given the political platform, will still perform as effective NGOs.

"If they are given associate membership or club status, they will still feel discriminated as they will not enjoy the privilege of full (ordinary) membership," he said.

Sivamurugan also pointed out that this is what some PAS Supporters Club members feel as they have complained why they are not given any seat to contest.

"There is also the issue of some people behind the NGOs wanting their organisations to remain as NGOs to act as a check and balance for the political parties," he said.

Other issues, according to Sivamurugan, are that some political parties may not allow supporters clubs such as the one formed by SA Vigneswaran (the former MIC Youth chief who resigned from the party) and T Murugiah (the deputy minister and former PPP youth chief who was sacked from the party) to join the BN.

"Therefore, the BN really needs to study details of this proposal and come up with a solution before deciding on the method to be used," he said.

Sivamurugan believes these issues can be overcome if all the parties go back to the spirit of the formation of the Alliance Party in the 50s as back then they were willing to compromise and sacrifice to make the formation a reality.

- Bernama

Reservations over BN direct membership proposal