Global Courant 2023-05-25 19:08:00
KUALA LUMPUR – The possibility that former Umno leaders, including former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, will join the Malaysian opposition in the upcoming state elections may not be enough to overthrow Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government, analysts say.
“In general, it is unlikely that there will be a major wave of support that could threaten the government of national unity,” Dr. Mazlan Ali, senior lecturer at the Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, told The Straits Times.
Mr Hafidzi Razali, associate director at risk consultancy BowerGroupAsia, said it will be a challenge for the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) to maintain its momentum among Malaysian voters in the semi-rural and rural areas, particularly among the youth, and seducing former Umno members will do little to change this.
Several Umno leaders, who were expelled from the party in January for demanding party chairman Zahid Hamidi resign over Umno’s dismal showing in last November’s elections, could join the opposition ahead of six state polls due in July are expected.
Former Umno Secretary General Annuar Musa — one of the key leaders who was fired or suspended from Malaysia’s longest-ruling party — confirmed that he had applied to join Umno’s longtime rival Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS). He claimed that more than 1,000 Umno members followed suit.
Mr Khairy, another victim of the January purge, jokingly suggested on Thursday that he could form a new political party with former Democratic Action Party MP Ong Kian Ming as he considers an offer to join the Malaysian Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia. “The media will then be in the headlines tomorrow,” Mr Khairy told The Star newspaper.
“If he (Khairy) is president, I would consider it,” the DAP member said in response.
Bersatu President Muhyiddin Yassin said last week that Mr Khairy, who is influential and popular with many voters, would get a post on the party’s supreme council if he accepted. The PN coalition consists of PAS and Bersatu as the main parties.
Not without job openings, Mr Khairy’s contract as a radio deejay at Hot FM has also been extended through the end of 2023, with an extra hour added to his segment, which airs every Monday at 7pm.
On Monday’s podcast, Mr Khairy, who previously said he has received offers from other political parties, revealed that he would not rush into a decision and choose a party that represents his values and political stance.
But Dr Mazlan said it would be difficult for the Oxford graduate to reconcile with PAS’ religious policies, highlighting how Mr Khairy criticized the Islamist party for demanding British rock band Coldplay’s forthcoming concert are prohibited.
“Khairy just has a problem with Zahid. His spirit is still with Umno. I don’t think Khairy will enjoy being with PAS. It is dominant in PN. Khairy seems more suited to Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (compared to PN) – he is educated and progressive.
“It remains to be seen whether Khairy will return to Umno if there is a change in leadership.”
Joining Bersatu would also not make it easier for Khairy to fulfill his ambitions of becoming prime minister one day, Hafidzi said, given the position of Muhyiddin and Party Secretary General Hamzah Zainudin in Bersatu’s hierarchy.
“Maintaining a PN government is also less certain, given rising ethnic and religious conservatism within PAS – which limits PN’s ability to extend its influence to non-Malays and witch-sitters in the urban areas,” said Mr. Hafidzi.
