Power over principle - BN seeks to maintain relevance, revive Umno, in new alliance with Pakatan Harapan
ILI LIYANA MOKHTAR21 Nov 2022 05:46pm
Pakatan Harapan (PH) secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail seen here shaking hands with former Prime Minister and Bera member of parliament Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri
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The move has been seen as a way for Umno and BN to maintain relevance after a miserable outing at the recent 15th General Elections ( GE15).
With all principles laid aside, it seems the need for power has taken precedence over everything else.
Sources inside the coalition have claimed that top leaders from Umno have basically agreed to the alliance and it will be a matter of time before the marriage of convenience between the two parties will be announced.
According to the source top leaders within the coalition namely Zahid, Lenggong MP Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, Pekan MP Datuk Seri Sh Mohamed Puzi Sh Ali, Bera MP, former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri, Rembau MP Datuk Seri Mohamed Hassan, Parit Sulong Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad, Kota Tinggi MP Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin, Penggerang MP, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman, Pontian MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan and Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin have all essentially agreed to cooperate with PH.
The other MP's in Barisan Nasional who have yet to agree to the alliance between BN and PH include Tapah MP Datuk M Saravanan ( who has been rumoured to agree with the cooperation at press time) Cameron Highlands MP Ramli Mohd Nor, Lipis MP Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad, Paya Besar MP Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah, Titiwangsa MP Datuk Johari Ghani, Jelebu MP Datuk Seri Jalaludin Alias, Jempol MP Datuk Shamsulkahar Mohd Jeli, Kuala Pilah MP Datuk Adnan Abu Hassan, Tampin MP Datuk Mohd Isam Mohd Isa, Ayer Itam MP Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, Simpang Renggam MP Datuk Seri Hasni Mohamad, Tenggara MP Manndzri Nasib, Tanjung Piai MP Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng, Putatan MP Datuk Shalhelmy Yahaya,Kimanis MP Datuk Mohd Alamin, Beaufort MP Datuk Seri Aminah Aching, Pensiangan MP Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup, Libaran MP Suhaimi Nasir and Kalabakan MP Andi Muhammad Suryady.
In a facebook posting today, Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein said he would rather be sacked from Umno than work with Anwar and DAP. Hishamuddin said he was against any copperation with PH in forming the next government.
" I am ready to be sacked from Umno but I will not change my stand. Those who feel that they can take action against me or those who feel that they want to sack me please go ahead," he wrote.
Party sources have claimed that in an internal discussion said to be held yesterday, it was agreed upon that BN seemed more comfortable to ally themselves to PH compared to PN. According to the source BN’s future will be more secure with PH as they will be able to recapture seats in Malay majority areas that were not PH’s stronghold.
“ If we were to join Perikatan Nasional (PN), it would be difficult for us to recapture these Malay majority seats in the future.
“ It is a strategic alliance for BN to choose PH.” the young Umno leader explained.
PN’s alliance with the conservative Islamic party PAS has also painted PN as an extremist and racist coalition. He said this would not be good for BN as BN has always been a moderate party. In the 15th General Election most of PAS’s more conservative leaders had secured main parliament seats after contesting under PN’s flag in non traditional areas that have not been won by Pas before. “ This is what makes us worried.” he elaborated
This has been BN & Umno's worst election outing in the party and coalitions history so far. However as no coalition bloc has managed to obtain the majority to form a government, BN has now become the golden ticket for either coalition to form the majority in Parliament and later form the government.
At the moment, PH has 82 seats in the bag while PN has 73 seats, to form the government a political party or coalition would need 112 seats. Both sides have been adamant that they have obtained the higher number of seats and that he would be able to form the government and both have claimed that they have the BN coalition on their side.
Meanwhile Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been tight lipped as to who PH's alliances are. As this piece was being written a total of 26 BN) MPs had attended the meeting with Pakatan Harapan (PH) at a hotel, here, today. Two other MP's were said to be not present as they were unwell. It was reported that PH and BN were expected to finalise their cooperation today
The 15th General Election (GE15) held on Saturday ended in a hung parliament with no party securing a clear majority to form the new federal government. On Sunday the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah had ordered for all political parties to form their alliances in order to establish a new government before 2pm today. The King had also ordered for the proposal of a Prime Minister candidate who would command the confidence of the majority in the August house. BN then seeked an extension of time from Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun to convey its decision on the formation of government, as of press time the palace has agreed to extend the deadline to 2pm tomorrow ( Tuesday) The clock seems to be ticking as Malaysians wait anxiously on who will form the next government and who wll be our 10th Prime Minister.
