Can Muhyiddin become the leader of 11 'Dragons'?
The Perikatan Nasional (PN) Chairman described the coalition as a platform to address issues that the Madani Government has allegedly failed to resolve.
KHAIRIL ANWAR MOHD AMIN
SHAH ALAM – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has announced a new loose coalition comprising 11 Opposition parties, raising both optimism and concern about whether such an alliance can endure given their ideological differences.
The Perikatan Nasional (PN) Chairman described the coalition as a platform to address issues that the Madani Government has allegedly failed to resolve.
The coalition brings together Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), Pas, Gerakan, Pejuang, Muda, Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP), Putra, Berjasa, Malaysian Advancement Party (MAP), National Indian Muslim Alliance Party (Iman) and Parti Bersepakat Hak Rakyat Malaysia (Urimai), which has yet to be officially registered.
“The emergence of two major political blocs, which are 11 Opposition parties and 17 government parties, will help create a peaceful atmosphere ahead of the 16th general election,” said PKR MP Hassan Abdul Karim as he welcomed the initiative.
However, analysts caution that the coalition could backfire if identity politics among the member parties is not carefully managed.
Ilham Centre Executive Director Hisommudin Bakar described the alliance as “a probation period” to gauge public sentiment.
“If an official cooperation occurs, there could be rejection of PN, particularly in terms of accepting figures such as Dr P. Ramasamy,” he said.
He said that history has shown loose alliances often struggle to destabilise ruling parties.
He stated that smaller groups like Urimai and MIPP currently lack the strength to sway Indian voters.
“Only if larger parties such as MIC and MCA join will the opposition have the potential to rival the government’s influence,” he said.
Ironically, Urimai Founding Chairman Ramasamy sees the coalition as a crucial move.
“Pas and PN are more focused on Malay support, so how do they get Chinese and Indian support? This is where non-Malay parties like Urimai, MIPP and Gerakan can fill that gap,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pendang MP Datuk Awang Hashim said the cooperation is not merely about the next general election but also about consolidating efforts to raise the people’s issues.
“We can sit together to agree on many matters. If there are differences, put them aside first. The main focus is to address people’s issues together,” he said.
Awang also said that the coalition allows parties with diverse ideologies to build mutual understanding.
“When we are together, there is already understanding. In fact, this is a method in Islam when we explain Islamic requirements such as laws, that is da’wah. The most important thing is mutual respect,” he added.
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