Harapan-BN alliance could spell change in Putrajaya and Sabah

 

A Pakatan Harapan-BN alliance may not just be key to forming a federal government, but could also see changes in Sabah - if Warisan joins them.

With 82 seats, Harapan chairperson Anwar Ibrahim could secure 112 seats - enough for a simple majority in the Dewan Rakyat - if he can get at least 26 MPs from BN, Warisan’s three lawmakers, and PBM president Larry Sng on board.

BN is already deliberating the offer from Harapan and Sng, who is the Julau MP, was also seen mingling with Harapan and BN leaders at the Seri Pacific Hotel in Kuala Lumpur earlier today.

However, Warisan - without whom Anwar can’t meet his target - are keeping their cards close to their chest and have not openly indicated who they would support.

Instead, Warisan leaders have only said they would back a government for stability, and to unite the country.

A team-up, however, would be beneficial to all three parties.

For Harapan - Anwar would finally become prime minister.

For BN - it would be a political lifeline as joining forces with Perikatan Nasional would see Umno playing an even more diminished role, while MCA and MIC would further alienate any non-Malays from backing them.

And for Warisan - a chance to form the Sabah government again before the next state election due in 2025.

Warisan currently has 19 assemblypersons while Harapan has seven in Sabah. Combined, they are 14 seats short of a majority in the state legislative assembly.

The Sabah compromise

This is where BN comes in. Though already in power, it is a mostly uneasy partnership with the Bersatu-led Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).

For the sake of being in power, Sabah BN and Umno have had to make compromises that their counterparts in the peninsular did not have to in regard to cooperating with Bersatu/

However, Sabah BN can easily topple GRS by aligning their 14 assemblypersons with Warisan and Harapan for a total of 40 seats.

Sabah BN chief Bung Moktar Radin, who is a deputy chief minister, is already showing signs that he may be willing to consider this prospect.

He was cited by The Vibes today as being irate at GRS for backing PN’s Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister, claiming it to be a violation of their electoral pact.

Bung had already been livid during the elections when the son of a Sabah Bersatu leader contested against BN in Tenom - and ended up winning.

Sabah BN chief Bung Moktar Radin

Negotiating a power-sharing deal between Warisan and BN would be difficult, but not impossible.

Harapan has already taken the first step in bridging the political divide when it backed BN to form the Perak state government, despite having more seats.

If a Harapan-BN-Warisan pact does materialise, Sarawak’s GPS may also abandon PN in order to be in Putrajaya’s good books.

GPS’ support for PN is already wavering as is, with PDP president Tiong King Sing saying they would wait for the power tussle in the peninsula to be settled first before the Sarawak coalition makes a “final decision”. - Mkini