BN sec-gen says they do not rule out the possibility of a new coalition govt emerging after GE15

by ASILA JALIL / pic by BERNAMA

UMNO may emerge stronger and win more seats in the 15th General Election (GE15), if it decides to contest on its own but the chances of the party obtaining a majority remains out of sight.

After declaring that the party and Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs will only support the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government until the Parliament is dissolved, Umno may consider cooperating with any party that wins seats in the Parliament to secure its position.

Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow Dr Oh Ei Sun told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR) with the current political situation, there are still possibilities for various alliances to form a new ruling coalition.

“I think a stronger Umno with more seats would emerge after GE15, but perhaps still not enough to command an outright majority. As such, various permutations and combinations for a new ruling coalition are still viable.

“The country would still be submerged in political instability as coalitions may form or fall at the whims of both component parties and individual MPs,” he said.

BN secretary general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said Umno and BN MPs were asked to support PN until Parliament is dissolved to ensure that the government could do its best to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

He also did not rule out the possibility of a new coalition government emerging after GE15.

Umno had won 55 Parliament seats in GE14 and it is currently down to 38 seats.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Institute of Ethnic Studies deputy director Dr Kartini Aboo Talib@Khalid said the political trend in the country now is gearing more towards a “mixed government”, which could be seen after the upcoming general elections.

“Umno and BN are ready to play the strategic interest game, where they will compete in the GE15 and may consider forming an alliance with parties that win seats in the Parliament.

“We could see ‘kerajaan campuran’ a thinning line of Oppositionalism that divides two major coalitions,” she told TMR.

She added that the country may witness the formation of a new coalition composed of strategic groups and interests to work together and form a government after the polls.

“Umno is willing to work with any PAS, Bersatu, DAP and PKR MPs that win the election and push for power-sharing after the election, not before the election,” she added.

The party’s political movements have been making headlines the past weeks as there were calls within quarters in the party to sever ties with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia which is led by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Umno has also voiced its intentions to compete in the next GE on its own although some parties have stated that the party may not be able to stand on its own without forming an alliance with another political party.

Veteran politician Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim said Umno and Bersatu should work together for the future of Malay politics as both parties cannot be in power on its own, even with the support of Islamist party PAS.

PAS currently has 18 Parliament seats and is a partner with Umno in Muafakat Nasional.

Meanwhile, Universiti Putra Malaysia Associate Prof Dr Mohd Izani Mohd Zain said a three-cornered fight between PN, BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) is foreseeable in the GE15.

“There will be a three-cornered fight between PN, BN and PH which will give a competitive race, especially in Malay areas.

“The competition will heighten between Umno and Bersatu, especially in constituents that are held by Bersatu leaders who were previously with Umno,” he told TMR.

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Read our previous report here

Point of no return for Umno-Bersatu?