Umno-PPBM rift seen as clearing path for Sabah, Sarawak kingmakers

 

Umno is divided and PPBM is weak, says analyst Jeniri Amir.

PETALING JAYA: A political analyst sees Umno’s decision against working with PPBM in the coming general election as giving Sabah and Sarawak parties their best chance yet to be kingmakers.

Jeniri Amir, a fellow of the National Council of Professors, said it was unlikely that any single party or coalition could dominate the polls now that Malay-based parties are going head to head and Pakatan Harapan (PH) is weakened like never before.

“PH does not have the momentum it did in GE14 and it cannot count on Dr Mahathir Mohamad and PPBM for Malay support,” he said.

“Umno is divided and PPBM is a weak party. So there is little reason for Sabah and Sarawak parties to dance to anyone’s tune.”

Jeniri Amir.

Recently, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi informed his PPBM counterpart, Muhyiddin Yassin, that his party would not be cooperating with PPBM in the next general election.

The Umno and PPBM chapters in Sabah are united under Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GPS) and Jeniri said there was no animosity between their leaders.

“So, I do not see Umno and PPBM leaders in Sabah really listening to their central leaderships,” he said.

“They know they have the power and the autonomy to decide what is best for them. They can band together with GPS and call the shots after GE15.

Lee Kuok Tiung.

“They should, in fact, form a single Borneo bloc after the election and decide who they want to work with to better ensure that the interests of Sabah and Sarawak are well taken care of.”

Another analyst, Lee Kuok Tiung of Universiti Malaysia Sabah, said the two states had been kingmakers in recent elections but the formation of a Borneo bloc would “take things to another level”.

“With the possibility of having 57 seats under a single bloc, Sabah and Sarawak can have much stronger bargaining power,” he said. - FMT