Negeri: Zahid Hamidi promises 2 EXCO positions for Indians!

SEREMBAN: Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has dangled a major electoral pledge before the Indian community in Negeri Sembilan, promising that BN will appoint two Indian State Executive Council (EXCO) members if the coalition captures the state in the upcoming August 1 election.

Speaking during a campaign swing ahead of the high-stakes state polls, Zahid acknowledged that Negeri Sembilan holds unique strategic importance for the Indian community, who make up 15.4% of the state’s electorate. Highlighting this demographic weight, Zahid stated he has recommended to Negeri Sembilan election director Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan that two Exco seats be allocated to Indian representatives should BN secure victory and form the state government. He urged MIC and the wider Indian community to work tirelessly to ensure victory for both BN Indian candidates.

Political analysts view Zahid’s pledge as a strategic counter-offensive designed to stem the drift of Indian support away from Barisan Nasional. In recent days, BN has faced mounting friction and non-Malay backlash following controversial rhetoric from its electoral partner, PAS. Observers and political commentators have noted that alienated non-Malay voters risk shifting their allegiance toward Pakatan Harapan (PH), prompting BN leadership to sweeten its electoral pitch to reassure minority communities.

Conventionally, state governments across Malaysia appoint only a single Indian EXCO member when Indian assemblymen are elected. The precedent of dual representation began in Penang, when the state government appointed one Indian Deputy Chief Minister alongside another Indian EXCO member. Pakatan Harapan replicated this formula in Negeri Sembilan following its historic 2018 victory, appointing two DAP assemblymen, Veerappan Superamaniam and J. Arul Kumar, to the state cabinet, a practice maintained through subsequent elections in 2023. With PH widely anticipated to continue this dual-representation tradition if re-elected, Zahid’s announcement directly mirrors the intense competition for the vital Indian vote bank.

In Negeri Sembilan, MIC is contesting two state seats: Seremban Jaya and Sri Tanjong. Additionally, Indian candidates are fielded across several constituencies allocated to Perikatan Nasional (PN) allies. While a victorious BN-PN coalition government could theoretically open doors for Indian representation from allied quotas, analysts remain sceptical about whether PN’s Indian candidates can secure victories in their respective multi-cornered fights.