Hisham will be PM’s choice if he steps down, says analyst

 

Umno’s Hishammuddin Hussein (left) will be Muhyiddin Yassin’s first pick should he decide to resign as prime minister, says analyst Ahmad Atory Hussain.

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will most likely name Umno leader Hishammuddin Hussein as his successor if the situation calls for it, said a veteran political analyst.

Ahmad Atory Hussain said the choice of the foreign minister as the successor made sense because he was friendly with the Bersatu leadership and could act as a “bridge of peace” between the two parties.

Azmin Ali, who is said to be one of Muhyiddin’s most trusted ministers, is however not expected to be in the shortlist as most Umno leaders are “allergic” to him and he lacks strong support from MPs, Ahmad said.

“Muhyiddin will find a way out if he feels that the people are jaded and do not want him anymore. Hishammuddin will also be nominated because Bersatu is aware that Umno has the largest presence in Parliament,” he said.

Ahmad Atory Hussain.

He said any move to collect statutory declarations from Barisan Nasional MPs to support Hishammuddin would also be a move towards making Muhyiddin’s “dream” a reality.

Ahmad also said that if there were to be a power transfer with Bersatu no longer at the helm, a Perikatan Nasional government would likely function as normal, and that there would be a strengthening of Umno-PN relations.

“It is difficult for Umno to stand on its own although it has three million members because it is believed that grassroots members have lost faith in the party’s leadership,” he said.

Azmi Hassan.

Former academic Azmi Hassan is of the view that opposition parties’ call for Muhyiddin’s resignation is a desperate move, as there is no political leader who could form a stable government in the midst of the current health crisis.

“If Muhyiddin resigns, we will see the same situation repeat itself, because the Covid-19 pandemic is a difficult issue that cannot be addressed by a government with limited resources,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sulaiman Yassin said public dissent showed that frustration with the government was “very much real”.

“This can be seen by the various campaigns on social media where nicknames or labels are pinned on the Muhyiddin government,” said the veteran political observer.

However, he also described it is as a normal reaction by a dissatisfied public that every administration would have to face, and hoped Muhyiddin would not bow to pressure and instead work with his Cabinet to ease tensions. - FMT