Azmi Hassan of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said he believed they would not, but Kamarul Zaman Yusoff of Universiti Utara Malaysia said he did not see PPBM considering it a problem to have figures like Muhyiddin Yassin and Azmin Ali going to the ground to support Barisan Nasional’s campaign.
Azmi said PPBM would be wary of giving the impression that it was desperate for Umno’s support in running the Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration and would prefer to show it was in control.
It was fully aware of its precarious position, he added.
Umno last month declared its relationship with PN was based merely on an understanding with other parties to restore a working government. It also said that it did not join PN.
PPBM runs the PN government with support from Barisan Nasional, PAS and some minor parties.
Azmi also noted that there were segments in PPBM that find the party’s closeness with Umno discomforting.
He referred to the fallout between Muhyiddin and Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who leads a faction of PPBM, and said figures in Muhyiddin’s faction would be wary of giving fresh ammunition to Mahathir by campaigning for Umno. “Mahathir would infer Muhyiddin is Umno’s puppet.”
Kamarul Zaman said members of Muhyiddin’s faction would see the by-election as an opportunity to show Umno that PPBM was a reliable partner.
Their participation in the campaign, he added, would bring the two parties closer and “ensure PPBM’s survival in the next general election”.
He acknowledged, however, that Umno didn’t need much help in its stronghold of Chini.
He disagreed with Azmi that PPBM’s participation in Umno’s campaign would reek of desperation, noting that Umno’s victory was a certainty.
Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs said he believed PPBM’s support for Umno’s campaign would be tacit and would be shown through the approval of development funds for Chini.
He said neither Muhyiddin nor Azmin would add value to the campaign by being on the ground.
He noted that the Chini state seat falls under the Pekan parliamentary constituency, whose MP is former prime minister Najib Razak, and said PPBM might not want to give the impression that it was in cahoots with Najib.
The by-election will be held on July 4. The seat fell vacant with last week’s death of Abu Bakar Harun.
In the 2018 general election, Abu Bakar retained Chini for Umno with a 4,622 majority against PAS and PKR.
-FMT
New Kedah MB to be sworn in
ALOR SETAR: Kedah is preparing to welcome a new mentri besar at Wisma Darul Aman tomorrow.
It is learnt that Kedah Opposition chief and Jeneri assemblyman Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor would be sworn in as the new mentri besar, taking over the hot seat from Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir.
A total of 23 assemblymen had pledged their allegiance to the formation of a new government when they met Kedah Ruler Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah.
Sultan Sallehuddin had personally met each of the 36 elected representatives to determine who commands the confidence of the majority in the state assembly.
Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Ayer Hangat assemblyman Juhari Bulat said those who attended the meeting in the morning were those who supported Perikatan Nasional.
“Those who attended the evening session were the ones who are against Perikatan, ” he said.
All smiles: Sanusi waving to the media outside the main entrance of Wisma Darul Aman as he leaves the complex after having an audience with Sultan Sallehuddin.
Sanusi said as far as he knew none of the 23 state assemblymen, who signed statutory declarations (SDs) to propose for a new mentri besar, had changed their minds.
“As far as I am concerned, all the PAS state assemblymen still stand by the SDs presented to the Kedah Ruler by the three party leaders of Perikatan Nasional, ” he said.
“As for the state assemblyman from Bersatu rumoured to have a change of heart, it is not true.
“From what I know, no one has retracted the SDs presented to the Sultan, ” he added yesterday.
The presidents of Umno, PAS and Bersatu met with the Kedah Ruler to present the 23 SDs from the state assemblymen on Wednesday.
The writing was on the wall for Mukhriz on Tuesday when two assemblymen from PKR – Azman Nasrudin (Lunas) and Dr Robert Ling (Sidam) – quit the party and declared their support for Perikatan under the leadership of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
On the same day, Sanusi announced that 23 out of the 36 Kedah assemblymen had lost confidence in Mukhriz’s leadership. – ANN
FREE MALAYSIA TODAY / ANN
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.