Gerakan president Dominic Lau’s rejection of a proposal to position the party as a “third force” reflects the reality that it can only survive as part of a larger coalition, says a political analyst.
Akademi Nusantara’s Azmi Hassan said Gerakan must ensure it is in a position to wield influence — something the party can offer only from within a coalition like Perikatan Nasional.
He said Gerakan, like MCA and MIC, struggles to attract non-Malay support on its own, and that exiting PN would only leave it in limbo.
“The current political scenario is between PH-BN versus PN. There is no such thing as a third force or the kingmaker,” he told FMT.
On Sunday, Lau dismissed Penang Gerakan Youth chief Tan Zhen Zune’s “third force” suggestion, citing past failures as evidence that it would lead to electoral defeat.
Gerakan’s decline began in the 2008 general election, when it lost Penang — its stronghold of nearly four decades — to the DAP.
Originally a Barisan Nasional component party, Gerakan left the coalition in 2018, shortly after BN lost the 14th general election. It joined PN three years later.
Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Sivamurugan Pandian, however, said Gerakan’s entry into PN had diluted its traditional multiethnic appeal, making it harder to draw non-Malay voters.
However, he said, the party could still carve out a meaningful role as the coalition’s non-Malay voice.
“Gerakan represents the non-Malay component in PN. They need to be the voice, to balance the issues, to balance PAS,” he added.
International Islamic University Malaysia’s Lau Zhe Wei said the party must define a clear selling point to win back support.
“Whether they are with PN or become a third force, what is their selling point? They must have a selling point, something they can market to the voters,” he said.
Gerakan last contested alone in the 2019 Tanjung Piai by-election, when candidate Wendy Subramaniam drew a mere 1,707 votes, losing the seat to MCA’s Wee Jeck Seng, who secured over 25,000.
Still, Zhe Wei said the results showed that Gerakan was “not a mosquito party”, with a following among voters disillusioned with both Pakatan Harapan and BN.
He cautioned, however, that ties with PN, particularly PAS, have left its Chinese base uneasy.
“Similar to Pejuang, what is their selling point in being the third force?” he asked.
