Friends of BN to debut in GE15, MCA swoops up most Gerakan seats

BN is finally giving its “friends” some seats to contest in the general election - albeit ones that are almost impossible to win - as the coalition divided up Gerakan seats and traded these among themselves.

The 15th general election will see the electoral debut of Makkal Sakti, Indian Progressive Front (IPF), Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) and Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) under the BN flag.

BN will be fielding most of its friends in Pakatan Harapan strongholds in Penang - namely Makkal Sakti president RS Thanenthiran in Nibong Tebal, IPF president T Loganathan in Jelutong and PCM's Razalif Mohamad Zain in Bukit Bendera.

Meanwhile, Kimma president Syed Ibrahim Kader will be fielded in Puchong, another Harapan stronghold.

Of these four seats, all were previously contested by Gerakan - except Nibong Tebal - which Umno has ceded to Makkal Sakti. 

Nibong Tebal was won by PKR’s Mansor Othman in 2018 before he defected to Bersatu.

The remaining seats contested by Gerakan in 2018 were divided among the three core BN parties, with MCA getting the lion’s share namely Batu Kawan, Tanjong, Taiping and Beruas, while MIC was given Batu and Teluk Intan. Umno was given Simpang Renggam.

MCA also took former BN party MyPPP's Segambut seat.

There were also a number of seat swaps among the three core parties.

Umno took Sungai Buloh and Kapar from MIC. From MCA, it took Kuantan, Wangsa Maju and Alor Gajah.

Former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin will be contesting Sungai Buloh, while Umno information chief Shahril Hamdan will be contesting Alor Gajah.

In exchange for these seats, Umno gave Kuala Langat to MIC, and to MCA it gave Indera Mahkota and Tangga Batu. Umno is also expected to relinquish Bandar Tun Razak to MCA.

In addition to this, MIC also gained the Padang Serai seat from MCA - where its former vice-president C Sivarraajh will be fielded.

Umno is also keeping Cameron Highlands, which it took from MIC during the 2019 by-election.

The seat allocations and candidates were announced amid protests from MIC - which is threatening not to contest in GE15.

This is over the party’s unhappiness over the seat allocations.

Besides the seats it had to give up to Umno, MIC is believed to be upset also with the inclusion of IPF, Makkal Sakti and Kimma in BN's list of candidates.

MIC is believed to have vetoed these parties’ attempts to become full members of BN instead of just allied “friends”.

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