KUALA LUMPUR – What appears to be a veiled threat by Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang about the government potentially collapsing has raised the question of whether this is part of a larger psywar by the opposition – or if something more sinister is at play.
While Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has brushed the matter off by claiming the PAS president was being delirious, Hadi’s comment has raised alarm bells among many social media users.
The main concern is if Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders may in fact be involved in any backroom dealings with MPs from component parties of the unity government to take control of Putrajaya.
For political observers, leaders of the ruling coalition would do well to take cognisance of Hadi’s remark.
After all, it was the failure of recent past prime ministers to recognise and act seriously against similar portents of a potential coup that eventually led to their ousters.
Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Oh Ei Sun opined that Hadi’s recent statement might be a combination of an attempt at psychological warfare and an insinuation of what could happen.
Speaking to The Vibes, the academic said there is nothing unusual about a rival party attempting to “dethrone” a sitting government.
It is the norm and duty of the opposition to constantly and relentlessly seek the downfall of the government of the day in a healthy and normal parliamentary democracy.”
In this regard, Oh said Anwar’s administration should pay heed to the matter, but acknowledged that there is scarcely anything it could do if push came to shove, barring drastic constitutional reform.
He said existing loopholes in the anti-hopping law mean some or most of the MPs throwing their support behind the prime minister could switch allegiance without triggering their vacation from their seats.
While debating Budget 2023 last Tuesday, Hadi had said the opposition must not be blamed if the government collapses, instead suggesting that this would be owing to its own flaws and weaknesses.
The PAS president claimed the Pakatan Harapan government formed after the 2018 general election had sidelined Malay-majority constituencies, resulting in voters turning their support to PN, ostensibly in protest.
He said in this case, the change in government in 2020 was not through backdoor means, but because of the administration’s failure to maintain its own “house”.
“If you fall again, don’t blame us. It’s not because we placed holes on the roof, but because it was leaking, the doors are ajar, and the walls are collapsing.”
Govt must not ignore Perikatan’s ‘narratives’
Universiti Utara Malaysia senior lecturer Prof Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani similarly believes Anwar’s government ought to take Hadi’s statement seriously, as the issue, if left unheeded, could escalate.
He warned that even if these were merely political narratives being peddled by PN leaders to swing public support, they should be handled swiftly.
There must be counter-narratives by the government. And if you look at posts on TikTok, for example, there are a lot of similar claims about the government collapsing.
“This requires a response not only from government cybertroopers, but the leaders themselves. They must play a role and be responsive.”
Azizuddin said Hadi’s latest comment in Parliament comes as no surprise considering the looming elections in six states, and said this is a clear indication of a psywar being at play.
“They want to arouse public anger and keep this momentum going until the polls. In fact, I don’t think PN personally believes that the government will fall, but that they are afraid support might shift in Anwar's favour.”
Azizuddin said this is considering that in state elections, fence-sitters have a tendency to vote for parties that control the federal government.
He added that PN might also fear that the positive performance and achievements of Anwar’s administration in its first few months in power could draw more support.
“In this context, Hadi and the others will play up the sentiment that the government will collapse, to provide hope to the public that PN will take over Putrajaya. It is, in this sense, a psywar.
“But the reality is, the government has a two-thirds majority today, and with the anti-hopping (law) in force, it won’t be easy to topple them. Regardless, the government must not ignore these PN narratives.”
The Vibes reported earlier today that the Nordic Counter-Terrorism Network’s Cyber Counter-Terrorism Division has identified an Islamic State (IS) media platform launched in Malaysia.
Naming itself Al Malaka Media Centre, it is linked to IS media outlets in Indonesia and the Philippines, and is understood to be in direct support of a “radical political party and an established radical organisation”.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that the authorities have been aware of the Al Malaka Media Centre’s attempt at expanding its influence in Malaysia.
The IS media group’s content is available on the dark web. – The Vibes, March 5, 2023
