The opposition might be reluctant to support an early ouster of Najib Abdul Razak believing that allowing the embattled prime minister to lead BN into the 14th general election could prove advantageous.
But this dream could into a nightmare, warned Umno activist Shahbudin Husin.
He said this was because Najib appears to have neutralised several institutions that threatened his position and could do the same to the opposition in the general election.
"The opposition may hope to win the general election if Najib remains as prime minister but it could turn into a nightmare as the concentration of power gives advantage to the person in power.
"If Putrajaya can sack the attorney-general, delay the Public Accounts Committee's (PAC) investigation, dissolve the special task force, harass the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)...
"Then it is not impossible that the opposition's victory in the general election will be thwarted from becoming a reality," he said in a blog posting today.
Najib is facing several scandals including the deposit of RM2.6 billion into his personal bank accounts, which Shahbudin warned could be used against the opposition in the next general election.
Support Dr M's proposal
As such, Shahbudin (photo) urged the opposition to support former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's call for the opposition to join forces with some BN MPs for a vote of no confidence against Najib.
Mahathir had asked the opposition to allow BN to form the new government replacing Najib's administration but this has courted a negative response.
However, Shahbudin proposed that a unity government could be formed in the interim following Najib's ouster while Sabah and Sarawak could be offered more autonomy under the new government.
The opposition parties presently have 87 MPs who are likely to be joined by another independent MP Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, a former PKR leader.
Shahbudin said this means only 24 more BN MPs are needed to achieve a simple majority against Najib in the 222-member Dewan Rakyat.
"With Muhyiddin Yassin, Shafie Apdal and several other ministers removed recently, it is not impossible to get the support of 24 (BN) MPs if the negotiation is done correctly," he said.
He added Mahathir's move in proposing the no-confidence vote is an indication he was prepared to lend his support in getting BN MPs to back the vote and is likely to be supported by Umno's Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and former minister Daim Zainuddin.