As Bersatu stabilises, Muhyiddin looks towards seeking mandate

As the dust begins to settle following the sudden change of government earlier this year, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is looking to seek a mandate of his own.

Singapore's Straits Times reported yesterday that Muhyiddin (photo) is seriously considering holding snap polls by year-end after tabling Budget 2021.

If this comes to be, it will likely see the first electoral outing of Perikatan Nasional against Pakatan Harapan, should the opposition coalition still be intact by then.

Bersatu supreme council member Muhammad Faiz Na'aman confirmed that Muhyiddin had expressed wishes to hold snap polls at a council meeting on June 4.

"During the meeting, Muhyiddin said once things become stable, he wishes to hold snap polls as soon as possible.

"We don't want to be accused of not having the people's mandate.

"His wish is for snap elections as soon as there is stability in the country and the party," Faiz told Malaysiakini.

Although the party president did not mention a timeline for the general election, the council welcomed the plan, seeing it as a way to solve Bersatu's internal conflicts, he added.

Since PN took over the federal government in March, Bersatu has been split in two with the majority of party MPs and supreme council members loyal to Muhyiddin while a smaller group are aligned to former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Mahathir and some of his allies have been sacked from the party but are challenging this in court.

However, a major challenge for Muhyiddin in calling for snap polls will be the thorny subject of seat allocation with allies Umno and PAS.

During the last general election, Bersatu and Umno clashed over 48 seats, with the former winning only 13.

Eventually, Bersatu drew 16 defections from Umno and 10 from PKR between then and late February this year.

While it is still early days on whether Bersatu will be allowed to claim all 39 seats currently held should snap polls be called, Faiz (below) believed things will be ironed out once PN is formalised.

"I believe they aim to do so this year. They want to expedite (the formalisation of PN). They are discussing it. I understand the discussion includes seat allocation.

"The last time Umno leaders met Muhyiddin was on June 7. We have not been informed of the results of that meeting yet," he said.

According to the Straits Times report, the June 7 meeting saw Bersatu and Umno leaders agreeing to form a "technical committee" on seat allocations.

However, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told Malaysiakini that the report on the existence of a "technical committee" was not true.

So far, Umno is in alliance with MIC and MCA known as BN. It is also in a separate pact with PAS, known as Muafakat Nasional.

In 2018, Umno and PAS clashed over 105 seats while PAS clashed with other BN component parties over 49 seats.

Umno and PAS have vowed to avoid fielding candidates against each other in future elections, and adding Bersatu to the mix will likely make PN seat allocations an interesting affair.  - Mkini