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PETALING JAYA: With talk of a new goverment being formed under the Pakatan Nasional banner, two political analysts have differing views whether it will come about.
The rumoured new coalition, centred on keeping Dr Mahathir Mohamad in power, would dash the hopes of PKR president Anwar Ibrahim taking over as prime minister.
The proposal for the new coalition would entail PPBM teaming up with PAS and Umno.
Last month, FMT reported that private meetings between Mahathir and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang might foreshadow the re-entry of PAS into federal power, which might sideline the DAP and Anwar.
However, to political analyst Azmi Hassan, there is little hope of the new coalition becoming reality because some in Umno would not be willing to work with PPBM and Mahathir, who is chairman of the party and of Pakatan Harapan.
On the other hand, political scientist James Chin says “Pakatan Nasional is feasible because of two aims: to get rid of DAP in the government, and to stop Anwar from getting the prime minister’s post”.
Azmi said Mahathir is seen to be the “main culprit” who had ousted Umno and Barisan Nasional from Putrajaya, and the proposed new coalition went against the very reason that Malaysians had voted for Pakatan Harapan in 2018.
“Yes, the new Pakatan Nasional looks very enticing, especially for the Malays but to form a government you need the support of all. I don’t see this getting off the ground even though Pakatan Nasional is being portrayed as the alternative to Pakatan Harapan,” he told FMT.
The proposed coalition could only work with Umno as the more dominant party over Mahathir’s PPBM – but “as of now, with Mahathir at the helm, I don’t see any way Umno can outwit PPBM”, Azmi said.
James Chin, however, said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang was “obsessed” with ensuring that the DAP is ousted from government, allowing the formation of a government ruled by Muslims.
weehingthong 