Zahid 'talking BS' for fun? Or hatching trouble for Anwar? Whichever, Azmin braces for 2 elections next year
Written by Stan Lee, PoliticsNow Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR (politicsnowmy.blogspot.com) - As brickbats rained down on his party, Bersatu's new secretary-general Azmin Ali fired back twin salvos at his critics.
Brushing off the negative perceptions now surrounding his party's ability to survive, let alone chalk any thumping wins at upcoming elections, Azmin kept the focus on getting Bersatu and its rather inadequate machinery ready for the Sabah state elections due by September next year - as well as a possible surprise nationwide snap general election that may determine his rival Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's own future.
"Snap GE16 doesn't sound far-fetched to me. With all the reports about the opposition being in disarray due to infighting for power between factions within Bersatu and the animosity that is now quite visible between Bersatu and its main coalition partner Pas, it makes sense for Anwar to dissolve the federal Parliament and go for a bigger and stronger mandate," an analyst told PoliticsNow Malaysia, referring to the 16th general election which needs only to be held by 2027.
"The problem is Anwar and his Pakatan Harapan coalition are also weak now. Chances are Anwar's own PKR party, the DAP and Amanah won't be able to maintain the same number of seats they won in 2022, let alone increase on their base. In fact, the clear winner will be Umno. If Anwar really calls for snap GE16, I expect Umno to immediately break off from his unity government and go all out on their own. They will fight and 'cannibalize' the Malay seats from PKR and Amanah as well as eat up Bersatu's weak seats. Even Pas might be vulnerable."
ZAHID 'TALKING BS' FOR FUN? OR IS HE COOKING UP TROUBLE FOR ANWAR?
It has not gone unnoticed that Umno president Zahid Hamidi, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, has been issuing veiled warnings about how Umno has been approached to form a new federal government by opposition lawmakers - one of whom he has confirmed is the Pas Member of Parliament for Arau, Shahidan Kassim.
Some pundits believe it was just Zahid 'talking BS as usual' but other ears have perked up amid swirling rumors that a snap GE16 could be held concurrently with the Sabah state polls.
"At this time, it's hard to imagine where the pressure point to break Anwar will come from. I think it's quite clear he only wants GE16 at the expiry of the current five-year term in 2027. Even a second term as PM is out of reach for him as things are now," a veteran political observer told PoliticsNow Malaysia.
"So if Umno power-brokers are feeling 'itchy' again, they will somehow find ways to provoke a dissolution of the federal Parliament - with the help of the opposition of course, especially Pas," the observer added.
In the 2022 general election, Anwar's Pakatan which consists of PKR, the DAP and Amanah parties won a total of 82 seats in the 222-seat federal Parliament. Combined with Umno's 30 seats, Anwar managed to eke out the barest majority needed to form a government. PN, the main opposition bloc consisting of Bersatu, Pas and Gerakan, won a total of 74.
KEEPING BERSATU FOCUSED EVEN IF ONLY UMNO WINS
Indeed, Azmin may well have the last laugh on the naysayers who openly scoffed at his warning of nationwide polls coming earlier than expected.
One of these was Mat Sabu, the agriculture minister and president of Amanah. Should the PM decide to dissolve Parliament next week, there will be a snap poll then," Sabu said a tad sarcastically.
Yet in Malaysia's intrigue-filled political world, where shadow play, deceit and dishonesty are the name of the game, only the unexpected should be expected.
"I think Azmin is on the right track. To insist there is no 'proxy war' between himself and his party deputy president Hamzah Zainuddin or that Bersatu and Pas are still best of friends is wasting time," said the analyst.
"In the first place, that's not exactly the true situation. But what's real is a Sabah state election must be held next year. There's actually very little time left to get ready. Then the possibility of Anwar actually dissolving the federal Parliament cannot be ignored, especially with Umno now rising from the ashes. Anwar may want to coast on until 2027 but not Umno - not if it feels it can take on PKR and Bersatu and win. It also helps Umno if it has some sort of electoral pact or agreement with Pas. So for Bersatu, getting ship-shape and fighting-fit for elections is the only hope, the best way and strategy to defend itself. Even if it loses half or even three-quarters of its 25 seats, as long as it is still able to retain a handful or so, there's hope to live to fight another day," concluded the analyst.
Written by Stan Lee, PoliticsNow Malaysia
https://politicsnowmy.blogspot.com/
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