FMT:
Gerakan, MIPP no different from DAP, pundit says over opposition to PAS
6 hours ago
Faiz Zainudin
The two PN components are said to be opposed to PAS taking over the reins of the opposition coalition
Dominic Lau’s Gerakan and P Punithan’s MIPP would still be heavily reliant on PAS’s grassroots and machinery in GE16, said USM’s Azmil Tayeb.
PETALING JAYA: The opposition of two Perikatan Nasional (PN) components to PAS leading the coalition due to the Islamic party’s “hardline” image makes them no different from DAP, says an analyst.
Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Azmil Tayeb said that reasoning was irrelevant since PN’s preparation for the next general election would rely heavily on PAS’s grassroots and machinery.
“The tactic of spooking non-Malay voters over PAS makes these parties no different from DAP, which uses the same ploy,” he told FMT.
Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s former senior aide, Marzuki Mohamad, had said that Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) were opposed to PAS taking over leadership of PN.
Marzuki said Gerakan and MIPP wanted Muhyiddin to remain at the helm through the PN presidential council, to balance PAS’s hardline image.
However, Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said keeping Muhyiddin, or a Bersatu figure, at the top in PN would not change the electoral chances of Gerakan and MIPP.
“It would mean the status quo, with both Gerakan and MIPP remaining unsuccessful in attracting the non-Malays,” he said.
Azmi said the two non-Malay components of PN should try giving PAS the chance to lead the coalition, since the Islamic party had obtained non-Malay support when it was with DAP in Pakatan Rakyat.
“It’s possible that Gerakan and MIPP would fare better in wooing the non-Malays by trying something new.”
PAS laid claim to the PN chairmanship after Muhyiddin stepped down from the post on Jan 1.
However, Muhyiddin intends to abolish the chairmanship as a whole and change the coalition’s leadership structure, with the PN presidential council making executive decisions and the Supreme Council only overseeing administrative affairs.
He claimed that Bersatu and PAS had agreed to this, although the Islamic party denied even discussing the proposal with Muhyiddin.
Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Azmil Tayeb said that reasoning was irrelevant since PN’s preparation for the next general election would rely heavily on PAS’s grassroots and machinery.
“The tactic of spooking non-Malay voters over PAS makes these parties no different from DAP, which uses the same ploy,” he told FMT.
Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s former senior aide, Marzuki Mohamad, had said that Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) were opposed to PAS taking over leadership of PN.
Marzuki said Gerakan and MIPP wanted Muhyiddin to remain at the helm through the PN presidential council, to balance PAS’s hardline image.
However, Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said keeping Muhyiddin, or a Bersatu figure, at the top in PN would not change the electoral chances of Gerakan and MIPP.
“It would mean the status quo, with both Gerakan and MIPP remaining unsuccessful in attracting the non-Malays,” he said.
Azmi said the two non-Malay components of PN should try giving PAS the chance to lead the coalition, since the Islamic party had obtained non-Malay support when it was with DAP in Pakatan Rakyat.
“It’s possible that Gerakan and MIPP would fare better in wooing the non-Malays by trying something new.”
PAS laid claim to the PN chairmanship after Muhyiddin stepped down from the post on Jan 1.
However, Muhyiddin intends to abolish the chairmanship as a whole and change the coalition’s leadership structure, with the PN presidential council making executive decisions and the Supreme Council only overseeing administrative affairs.
He claimed that Bersatu and PAS had agreed to this, although the Islamic party denied even discussing the proposal with Muhyiddin.
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Gerakan joins PN for the very reason that MCA has discovered since BN joined the Unity Government, that with the DAP tiger dominating the UG mountain there's no more room for another tiger. Hence Gerakan looks for the alternative.
Gerakan has never wanted PUS and foolishly thought BERSATU would be the magic (moderate) cloak to shield it from the Islamic Party. To its sadness, it discovers BERSATU has been in reality a paper tiger, while PUS is still the ferocious leopard (with unchanging spots) it always has been, wakakaka.
In Malaysian politics, for a non-Malay non-Islamic party to survive reasonably, it must be powerful (40 seats or more), strong but subtle (with sheathed claws), as has been the DAP in Pakatan. No matter how powerful a non-Malay party is, it must 'kowtow' to the Malay colleague, firstly to 'give face', secondly so as to be tolerantly accepted by the Malay community and finally, to have a workable relationship with its Malay partner who must always dominate or appears to dominate. (In Malaysia) Suck on that.
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