Daim's crystal ball shows stronger PAS in GE15, Bersatu, Pejuang 'finished'

 

Veteran politician Daim Zainuddin expects PAS to perform better in the coming 15th general election due to disunity in BN and Pakatan Harapan.

The former finance minister said Harapan allies risk losing some seats they won in 2018, while splinter parties such as Bersatu and Pejuang may not even survive GE15.

“The opposition cannot get a majority as DAP will lose some seats while PKR will lose more. As for Pejuang, I think it is finished, and Bersatu too.

“If we are not careful, PAS will get more seats,” he was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Insight in an interview.

PAS, which now helms Kelantan, Kedah, and Terengganu via cooperation with other parties in the Perikatan Nasional bloc, won 18 federal seats in the 2018 polls.

Daim cautioned a bleak future for Harapan if it declines to make changes and remains divided.

“Even until today, they have not changed. The opposition is divided. And this will continue for 10 years if we are not careful,” said Daim.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob is facing mounting pressure from his party, particularly from the faction aligned with president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, to dissolve Parliament and pave way for GE15.

However, the opposition parties have yet to achieve consensus on whether to approach the polls with a “big tent”.

Infighting drives voters to PAS

Meanwhile, Daim said Malay voters, especially the older demographic, may vote for PAS instead due to the disunity in BN and Harapan.

He also noted that Malay voters in the heartlands of Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang are more likely to vote for conservative parties.

“As the Malays get older, they will begin to think of Allah and how PAS is their salvation,” added Daim.

However, the 84-year-old Kedah native said PAS has changed after tasting power as part of a ruling coalition and is unlike the Islamist party he knew during the 1960s.

“This is not the same PAS I knew in the 1960s. This is a PAS that wants power as they have tasted power.

“I’m still close to them but I say no (to them taking over the country). That’s why we need a new generation,” he said.

Daim also believes that Umno will be able to win more than half of the 165 parliamentary seats in Peninsular Malaysia.

“Some Umno analysts believe they can win up to 85 seats. But that means they will need Sabah and Sarawak,” he said. - Mkini