KUALA LUMPUR – As the curtain falls on the Perikatan Nasional government, Pakatan Harapan (PH) is now lobbying for support to form a new government to avoid prolonged uncertainty.
The Vibes understands that approaches have already been made to Umno, Bersatu, and Gabungan Parti Sarawak, although it is still unclear if the parties have agreed to back Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the new prime minister.
As things stand, PH has not yet secured enough support among lawmakers to form a government, with only 88 MPs between the three main components PKR, DAP, and Amanah on its side.
Even with other MPs from the opposition bench – Pejuang, Warisan, Upko, Parti Sarawak Bersatu, as well as independent lawmakers Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Maszlee Malik – Anwar will only have 105 MPs behind him.
To complicate matters, Pejuang is maintaining its stand for the formation of a National Recovery Council, a concept not too dissimilar to the National Operations Council, an emergency administrative body that attempted to restore law and order following the May 13, 1969 racial riots.
The proposal, first mooted by Pejuang chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, would see a bipartisan leadership largely comprising non-political council members such as medical specialists, businessmen, bankers, lawyers, and educationists.
Speaking to The Vibes, Pejuang deputy president Datuk Marzuki Yahya said the party’s stand remains the same, even with the resignation of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his cabinet today.
“From what we see, not a single person has the majority to form a government. With Malaysia not in a particularly good situation, I think we must run the country without any political interference,” he said, when asked if Pejuang is backing any MPs for prime ministership.
When pressed if the party has mooted any names in the event the Yang di-Pertuan Agong seeks such information, Marzuki said: “So far none yet.”
PKR information chief Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akim said PH is currently in touch with all quarters for the formation of a new government, and did not rule out cooperating with non-opposition parties and MPs.
“We are working with every possible group. The focus is to form the government as soon as possible.”
“We welcome all MPs, particularly from the opposition,” he said, when asked if Pejuang is out of PH’s picture considering its insistence for the formation of a National Recovery Council.
Meanwhile, Amanah deputy president Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub downplayed speculations of tussling among opposition parties for the prime ministership, with Anwar, Mahathir and Warisan’s Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal supposedly being put forward as candidates.
He also confirmed that PH did hold a secret meeting last night, but said discussions were merely focused on ways to get Muhyiddin removed as prime minister, unaware of the Pagoh MP’s decision to resign today.
“The tricornered fight (between Anwar, Mahathir, and Shafie) was not on our agenda,” Salahuddin told The Vibes.
Amanah communications director and Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, when queried about a power tussle between PH, Pejuang and Warisan, said that the coalition is trying to avoid such a scenario.
“Last night we reached an agreement to achieve a majority with all parties supporting one another.
“Who will be the one is yet to be confirmed because I was not part of the meeting. Only the top leaderships of the component parties were involved,” Khalid said, adding that cooperation among the opposition parties would be the pursuit of PH now.
Khalid also did not rule out the possibility of working together with Umno and even Bersatu.
“We don’t want to get support based on offers of positions, but based on policies. We will call upon Umno or Bersatu to support us,” Khalid said. – The Vibes, August 16, 2021
Additional reporting by Arjun Mohanakrishnan
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