Intense discussions as Malaysians await new govt

It is day three following GE15 and we still have no government in place.

Both Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional (PN) are scrambling around trying to cobble support for a majority government. The king has called on all parties to show evidence of support for their candidates.

Harapan’s Anwar Ibrahim is talking to BN. And PN’s Muhyiddin Yassin said he has the support of GPS and GRS.

Harapan and BN would have seemed an improbable coalition. But they appear to be talking. BN is a coalition of Malay, Chinese and Indian parties. Non-Malay representation is weak but at least BN is nominally multiracial. The Alliance is the forerunner of BN, the party that saw us through Independence in 1957. BN also saw us through the formation of Malaysia.

The obstacle to any form of cooperation between Harapan and BN would have been the court cluster in the Umno leadership. But given the drubbing they received at the polls, a basis might be there for talks to be held.

Muhyiddin wants to be prime minister. His party came in second in the polls. PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang is expected to be made deputy prime minister. PAS came in strongly with 49 seats.

PN’s chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin

It was Muhyiddin who said that he was Malay first when the debate was about whether we should regard ourselves as Malaysians first. He spoke of Jewish and Christian conspiracies in the run-up to the election.

Hadi has made no bones about his Islamic agenda. He says that non-Muslims cannot govern Muslims or occupy high positions in government. He is on record as saying better a crooked Muslim in power than an honest non-Muslim.

Constitutional lawyers have said that Harapan with the largest number of seats in Parliament and with the majority of the popular vote should be asked to form the government. But the palace has asked all parties to show evidence of majority support of their PM nominees.

Pakatan Harapan chairperson Anwar Ibrahim with other leaders in the coalition

Our electoral system is being tested. We are a democracy. The vote determines who has the right to rule. Ours is a first-past-the-post system. So the party that has the majority seats in Parliament has the right to form the government.

In GE15 no party or coalition has got the majority. Harapan with 82 seats has the highest number. It needs 112 to form the government. PN followed with 73 seats.

Harapan is a coalition of PKR, DAP and Amanah. Both PKR and DAP are multiracial parties.

PN, comprising Bersatu and PAS, is an exclusive Malay Party. PAS is an exclusively Muslim party with a nominal non-Muslim wing.

This election saw a shift away from BN to PAS and Bersatu. If PN forms the government then it will be the first time that an exclusively Malay government runs the country. There may be some non-Malays from Sabah and Sarawak but none from Peninsular Malaysia.

PAS’ Islamic agenda will raise anxiety levels throughout the country. This shift of power will concern not just non-Muslims in the country but also foreign investors. PAS’ record of effective governance on the East Coast gives little room for confidence.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang

We are getting a glimpse of the future. Perhaps it is time to think of proportional representation or to undo some of the gerrymandering to give non-Muslims a few more seats.

Malaysia is a multiracial and multi-religious society. Diversity worked for us in the past and could work for us in the future.

To see Chinese and Indians as intruders and threats is to ignore their contribution to the development of this country and to their value to the nation in the present day. In the end, our concern should be the strength of our economy. Poverty, unemployment and the increasing cost of living are big issues.

We cannot also ignore the equality and non-discrimination provisions of the Constitution.

The Malay Rulers are protectors of the rights of all Malaysians. The Chinese are 23 percent of the population, the Indians are seven percent and the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak are 12 percent. They cannot be ignored or placed on a lower plane.

Intense negotiations are taking place. Thousands of conversations are happening in every corner of the nation. Journalists, columnists and commentators are writing furiously. There is widespread anxiety.

The World Cup has started. Qatar lost the first match and Iran lost the second match. The world is moving on, so should we. - Mkini

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DAVID DASS is a lawyer, Malaysiakini subscriber and commentator.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.