GERAKAN’S defeat in the Malacca elections was expected as the party has no base in the tiny state, analysts said.

They told The Malaysian Insight that the multiracial party must strengthen itself again in the northern region where it used to have a strong base.

Gerakan, contesting under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) banner, lost in all five seats it contested in Malacca. The party left Barisan Nasional (BN) after suffering heavy defeat in the last general election.

Political analyst Lum Chih Feng said Gerakan’s results in Malacca were expected because the party’s foundation was not in Malacca.

On top of that, most of its candidates have not worked locally in Malacca, he said.

“The voters didn’t know Gerakan and the party is not like MCA. MCA has strong grassroots support. Even if it loses, the party’s local leaders will still work there to serve the voters.”

He said that Gerakan was still in an awkward situation because after withdrawing from BN; it ran for the Tanjung Piai by-election as a third force and later joined PN.

“Gerakan is still groping for its own path. I think that Gerakan should not contest everywhere, but choose a point to start again, and that point I think should start in Penang.”

Senior political analyst and veteran newsman Cheah See Kian, meanwhile, said Gerakan must prove itself in the north, especially to see if it still enjoys the support of Penangites.

“From 2008 to 2018, Gerakan has never recovered from its defeat in Penang. Gerakan’s last chance should be the next general election.

“This is also the last fight. If there is still no way for breakthrough in the north, then Gerakan may need to explore whether it can still survive.”

He reminded Gerakan that the development of the party had now reached an alarming point and that it should focus in the northern states, especially in Penang, where the party started.

International Islamic University Malaysia assistant professor Lau Zhe Wei said Gerakan was not a strong ally in PN, but the pact would still accommodate the party.

“This is because PN wants to show diversity. The only current option is to cooperate with the Gerakan, unless PN creates a new party.

“The value of Gerakan is not to win votes, not to win seats, but to show that PN is diverse,” he said. – November 22, 2021.