A promise that’s easy to make, yet hard to keep

For BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, it is easier to win over Indian voters than their Chinese counterparts.PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional (BN) hopes to woo Indian voters with the promise of two seats in the Negeri Sembilan executive council but, according to analysts, it is easier said than done.For a start, MIC, which represents the community within the coalition, is contesting only two of the 36 seats in this Saturday’s election.MIC will have to win both seats to secure two places in the state exco, as promised by BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. At least one analyst’s view is that mathematically, it is a promise that is difficult, if not impossible, to keep.Prior to 2018, when BN still held the reins in the Negeri Sembilan government, the MIC had always been allocated only one seat in the exco.The promise came on the heels of a remark by Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor that Tanah Melayu, the old name for the Malay Peninsula, is the only homeland for Malays.Awang Azman Pawi.Universiti Malaya political analyst Awang Azman Pawi said the offer was made to restore BN’s multiracial appeal given non-Malay unease over Sanusi’s remarks.He said Zahid wants to revive BN’s identity as a coalition founded on a multiracial power-sharing platform.“This has become more important because its electoral cooperation with Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Sanusi’s controversial remarks could cause concern among non-Malays," Awang Azman told FMT.He noted that BN has been at pains to stress that its cooperation with PN in the state election would not alter its principles of moderation and multiracial power-sharing.Awang Azman said the offer also partly reflected BN’s recognition that Chinese voters would be harder to draw away from Pakatan Harapan (PH) and DAP in the short term.“Indian support is seen as more fluid and more responsive to local candidates. (We can expect the same response on) issues involving employment, education, temples, housing and access to government,” he said.“In close contests, a shift of several percentage points among Indian voters could swing the outcome (in BN’s favour).”Awang Azman said the offer was also meant to show that MIC would be more than a token partner.“Zahid’s main message is that MIC is not merely a complement or decoration in BN, but will be given a genuine place in government,” he added.Big promise, small riskLau Zhe Wei.But Lau Zhe Wei of I…