Rafizi, PH's 'plan B' for PM if Anwar loses in Tambun?
Analysts say this would be in line with the party hierarchy in Pakatan Harapan.
PKR president Anwar Ibrahim reacts during a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.
Political analysts expect PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli to be named as Pakatan Harapan's (PH) alternative candidate for prime minister if Anwar Ibrahim loses the race for the seat of Tambun in the 15th general election (GE15).
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, former academic and veteran political analyst Ahmad Atory Hussain said this would be in line with the party hierarchy in PH.
"If PH wins with a comfortable margin but Anwar loses in Tambun, Rafizi will become prime minister in his capacity as PKR deputy president," he said.
"A candidate from DAP would be out of the question due to racial sentiments, even though it might have more MPs than PKR."
Nevertheless, he added, in such a situation, the post of deputy prime minister would most likely be given to DAP.
Rafizi, who is expected to be fielded in Pandan, is seen as having his own camp which has dominated PKR since the faction of Mohamed Azmin Ali was sacked from the party.
Meanwhile, PH's move to nominate Anwar in Tambun – by no means an easy seat for the PKR leader – has been described as a "do-or-die" gamble.
If unsuccessful, it could mark the end of his political career which has so far spanned four decades.
Tambun is traditionally seen as a Barisan Nasional stronghold although it was won by Ahmad Faizal Azumu of Bersatu in GE14, when the party was still part of PH. Faizal had defeated Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah of BN and Ibrahim Zakaria of PAS with a majority of 5,320 votes.
Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, has been the opposition's candidate for prime minister since the days of PH's predecessor, Pakatan Rakyat.
The only exception was at GE14, when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was nominated as Anwar was then serving time in jail.
Syahredzan Johan, the political secretary of Anwar's long-time DAP ally Lim Kit Siang, did not respond when asked who would become prime minister if the PKR leader lost in Tambun.
He only expressed confidence that Anwar would not lose the race for the seat.
Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, agreed with the possibility of Rafizi as PH's "plan B".
"Well, in theory it would be Rafizi. Practically, it can't be a non-Malay.
"And I am sure that some PKR MP would yield his or her seat for Anwar," he said in a reference to the so-called Port Dickson Move which allowed Anwar to return to Parliament after receiving a royal pardon in the aftermath of GE14.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Oh said none of the Malay MPs in DAP had what it took to hold the top office in Seri Perdana.
"He would be seen as another puppet prime minister," he said, adding that such a candidate would not last long.
Political analysts expect PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli to be named as Pakatan Harapan's (PH) alternative candidate for prime minister if Anwar Ibrahim loses the race for the seat of Tambun in the 15th general election (GE15).
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, former academic and veteran political analyst Ahmad Atory Hussain said this would be in line with the party hierarchy in PH.
"If PH wins with a comfortable margin but Anwar loses in Tambun, Rafizi will become prime minister in his capacity as PKR deputy president," he said.
"A candidate from DAP would be out of the question due to racial sentiments, even though it might have more MPs than PKR."
Nevertheless, he added, in such a situation, the post of deputy prime minister would most likely be given to DAP.
Rafizi, who is expected to be fielded in Pandan, is seen as having his own camp which has dominated PKR since the faction of Mohamed Azmin Ali was sacked from the party.
Meanwhile, PH's move to nominate Anwar in Tambun – by no means an easy seat for the PKR leader – has been described as a "do-or-die" gamble.
If unsuccessful, it could mark the end of his political career which has so far spanned four decades.
Tambun is traditionally seen as a Barisan Nasional stronghold although it was won by Ahmad Faizal Azumu of Bersatu in GE14, when the party was still part of PH. Faizal had defeated Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah of BN and Ibrahim Zakaria of PAS with a majority of 5,320 votes.
Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, has been the opposition's candidate for prime minister since the days of PH's predecessor, Pakatan Rakyat.
The only exception was at GE14, when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was nominated as Anwar was then serving time in jail.
Syahredzan Johan, the political secretary of Anwar's long-time DAP ally Lim Kit Siang, did not respond when asked who would become prime minister if the PKR leader lost in Tambun.
He only expressed confidence that Anwar would not lose the race for the seat.
Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, agreed with the possibility of Rafizi as PH's "plan B".
"Well, in theory it would be Rafizi. Practically, it can't be a non-Malay.
"And I am sure that some PKR MP would yield his or her seat for Anwar," he said in a reference to the so-called Port Dickson Move which allowed Anwar to return to Parliament after receiving a royal pardon in the aftermath of GE14.
Speaking to MalaysiaNow, Oh said none of the Malay MPs in DAP had what it took to hold the top office in Seri Perdana.
"He would be seen as another puppet prime minister," he said, adding that such a candidate would not last long.
No comments:
Post a Comment