KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin may have to provide greater concessions to Umno in a move to hold on to power but that gambit is risky, observers say, as rumours swirl of a cabinet reshuffle.
Singapore Institute of International Affairs’ Oh Ei Sun believes that if Muhyiddin was to accede to the demands of the Barisan Nasional lynchpin, the prime minister stood to lose power.
“Umno will creep and chip at his hold on power over time, until such a tipping point when he can no longer hold on to power meaningfully, a bit similar to what Najib and he (Muhyiddin) did to Pak Lah after the 2008 general election.”
In November that year, Muhyiddin and then deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak challenged Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for the Umno top spot.
Ever since Muhyiddin and his Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition took power, Umno warlords have been uneasy over a litany of problems.
The most pressing being not getting a larger share of ministerial posts, both at federal and state levels, despite being the largest party in PN.
Recent episodes include power tussles in Perak and Sabah where state leaders are from Bersatu despite Umno holding more seats in both state assemblies.
Fuelling further speculation of tense ties between Umno and Muhyiddin is PKR chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s bid to wrest power.
Anwar, who claims a “strong, formidable, convincing” majority, has met the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to convince the king he has the numbers. Several Umno MPs are believed to have expressed support for Anwar.
Universiti Utara Malaysia’s Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani said Umno should be rewarded for its work with Muhyiddin and appeasing the party would help stave off political instability.
“At least, he will be well received if he tries to accommodate the demands from Umno. Definitely some (politicians) will be disappointed but they (Umno) also sacrificed a lot. They led the (charge) in but gave Sabah and Perak to Bersatu.
“Muhyiddin should give in to some of the demands from Umno. This would make the government more stable and it would not lead to the grievances within which had led to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration.”
But a reshuffle might be too late since Anwar is “offering a similar deal”, said political analyst Azmil Mohd Tayeb.
“Among many Umno leaders there is an irreparable loss of confidence with the PN government since Umno expects to play a bigger role in this government. Umno shifting to Anwar’s side will deal a serious blow to Muhyiddin’s position.
“The clamour for a vote of no-confidence in Parliament is getting louder by the day.”
Azmil, who is Universiti Sains Malaysia political science lecturer, said changing the government amid a pandemic is a terrible idea.
The focus, he said, should be on shoring up the nation’s economy “instead of bickering with and conspiring against each other”.
But while there has been a surge in Covid-19 cases, pointing to the government’s “deplorable” handling of the pandemic, Oh believes that popular sentiments would have to make way for elite power plays.
“That will hold sway in Malaysian politics, including reassuring redistribution of ruling power.” – The Vibes, October 19, 2020
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