by FAYYADH JAAFAR / pic by BERNAMA

UMNO can expect some difficulties in forming a government with a simple majority of 112 seats in the 15th General Election (GE15) if it chooses to move solo. 

An Umno insider told Utusan Malaysia that the situation will be more dangerous if PAS and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) decide to join an absolute alliance and contest against Umno.

This is because, even if the alliance does not join Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) big tent, it is still possible for PAS and Bersatu to form a coalition with Parti Warisan and Parti Pejuang Tanah Air, thus adding fierce competition for Umno.

For example, the source said, in a parliamentary constituency during GE14, Umno’s candidate won 16,000 votes while PAS and Bersatu each won 11,000 votes per party.

“On paper, if PAS and Bersatu work together for GE15, they would get 22,000 votes and if Umno still wins 16,000 votes, it would lose by 6,000.

“And that is just PAS and Bersatu, not taking into account Opposition votes for PH yet,” the source said.

The source also told Utusan Malaysia that Umno must form a coalition with any of the Malay-Islamic parties for GE15.

In regards to its readiness at the parliamentary level for a possible GE15 this year, the source said the matter must be referred to the respective parliamentary war rooms and not rely on the party’s “ruling” statement alone.

“No one can speak on behalf of the whole of Parliament,” said the source, adding that many of the parliamentary seats won by Umno in GE14 were “dangerous” if they had to go head-to-head with the PAS-Bersatu coalition and PH.