THE decision by MIC and MCA to not contest in the coming state elections was to ensure victory for Barisan Nasional as Umno candidates had a better chance of winning, an MIC leader said.

“A boycott should not even have been brought up… we view Umno’s chances of winning as being brighter… so we give way for them to contest,” said MIC deputy president M Saravanan.

This is about BN winning… BN winning is more important than an individual party’s win,” he told reporters after the BN Supreme Council meeting last night.

He said a similar decision was made at the Cameron Highlands parliamentary by-election in 2019, when the seat, traditionally held by MIC was given to an Umno candidate who ultimately emerged victorious.

MCA deputy president Mah Hang Soon said MCA would continue to support BN candidates and ensure BN victories in every state seat contested.

BN secretary-general Zambry Abdul Kadir said after the meeting that the BN Supreme Council respected the decision and commitment of its component parties to ensure victories in contested seats.

He said BN and Pakatan Harapan will hold a roadshow and election machinery launch in Kedah (July 15), Penang (July 16), Kelantan (July 23), Negeri Sembilan (July 27), and Terengganu (July 28).