Magnanimous46:
The final result of the 15th general election is that the majority of
Malays have chosen Bersatu and PAS, while the majority of non-Malays
have opted for Pakatan Harapan.
While Harapan is the largest block
with 82 seats and ought to be given the first shot at forming the
government, ironically, none of the others - BN, Perikatan Nasional
(PN), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) or Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) - have
shown an interest to work with Harapan.
This is probably due to the DAP bogey and the perception of majority Malay Muslim sentiments seen from the voting pattern. Does
Anwar have the numbers and is that sufficient to form a stable
government? Let us not forget history: what Umno, Bersatu and PAS were
capable of doing to the short-lived Harapan government post-14th general
election.
Will these politically bankrupt race and religious
paddlers, notorious for the Sheraton coup, allow a stable Harapan
government to function? Is PAS an option for mainstream governance? Notwithstanding
the court cluster and Bersatu that betrayed Harapan, PN chairperson
Muhyiddin Yassin has just taken it to the next level, earning the wrath
of the Christian community by allegedly branding them agents of the Jews.
With this level of aversion to Harapan, are these the kind of people
that reformist Harapan wants to collude with to form a government? Is
this what the people that voted for Harapan would have wanted? Harapan
advocates that the moral high ground in governance should distance
itself from these kinds of quagmires that are bound to end up in another
Sheraton Move.
It is far better to play an effective opposition
role to protect the masses than to be embroiled in political turmoil
with the likes of race and religious outfits. Those that forget history
are condemned to repeat it.
Quigonbond: It seems to me that the simplest path to
the majority, and therefore, easiest to establish a stable government,
is for Harapan to come together with GPS.
GPS seems to have agreed
with GRS that they will join a coalition together, at least that's what
GRS has been reported to say. With them, Harapan will just be about one
seat short of a simple 111. And with Warisan’s three seats, it would
provide the needed stability.
On the other hand, PN/PAS will need
to cobble together basically all coalitions bar Harapan. GPS will be
tripping over whether to work with PAS, and PN will be tripping over
whether to work with BN - the former is over religious extremism, and
the latter is over the facade of clean government.
So, in terms of
difficulty, Harapan seems to have a slightly easier path. The problem
then is for GPS and DAP to come to a consensus to work together. It's
amazing how Sarawakians have continued to support GPS when they did not
have any qualms working with PAS after they turned extremist.
In the end, it is also about the fair-mindedness of the king. Bersih
said it is right, the biggest bloc should have the privilege of trying
to form a government first, then get a vote of confidence in the
Parliament. Being given this opportunity is another challenge for
Harapan because it's just unguided/unscripted royal discretion at the
moment.
In such an unprecedented landscape (though it should not
be surprising as it has been prognosticated for months now), perhaps the
Conference of Rulers should meet to set out a firm procedure.
