FMT:
A free Najib will give unity govt a boost, says analyst
However, another analyst says it will hurt the image of Anwar Ibrahim and his administration.
Political analysts differ on how the rakyat will react if Najib Razak is granted a royal pardon.
PETALING JAYA: A political analyst said he believes the government stands to gain should former prime minister Najib Razak receive a royal pardon.
“The reality is that Najib is still very influential and popular, especially among the Malays. I would even go as far as saying that Najib is more popular than Umno,” said Council of Professors fellow Jeniri Amir.
PETALING JAYA: A political analyst said he believes the government stands to gain should former prime minister Najib Razak receive a royal pardon.
“The reality is that Najib is still very influential and popular, especially among the Malays. I would even go as far as saying that Najib is more popular than Umno,” said Council of Professors fellow Jeniri Amir.
Jeniri Amir.
“If the unity government needs Malay support, they cannot ignore the Najib factor,” he told FMT when commenting on several opinion polls conducted asking whether Najib should be granted a royal pardon.
One petition, by electoral watchdog Bersih, garnered over 150,000 signatures urging the Yang di-Pertuan Agong against granting Najib a royal pardon.
Other petitions in support of the King granting the former Pekan MP clemency have garnered between 19,000 and 35,000 signatures.
Jeniri said he believes the unity government has more to gain from riding on Najib’s popularity than it has to lose.
“Especially on the Malay front, he’s well-liked and he’s not as divisive as Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“In the case of the non-Malays and urbanites who form the bulk of Pakatan Harapan (PH) supporters, I don’t foresee them ditching PH because the alternative would be to vote for PAS and Bersatu,” he said.
Meanwhile, Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid said he believed the unity government’s image would be hurt if Najib was given a royal pardon.
“The results from the opinion polls show that those who favour Najib’s release are far outnumbered by those who do not.
“If the unity government needs Malay support, they cannot ignore the Najib factor,” he told FMT when commenting on several opinion polls conducted asking whether Najib should be granted a royal pardon.
One petition, by electoral watchdog Bersih, garnered over 150,000 signatures urging the Yang di-Pertuan Agong against granting Najib a royal pardon.
Other petitions in support of the King granting the former Pekan MP clemency have garnered between 19,000 and 35,000 signatures.
Jeniri said he believes the unity government has more to gain from riding on Najib’s popularity than it has to lose.
“Especially on the Malay front, he’s well-liked and he’s not as divisive as Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
“In the case of the non-Malays and urbanites who form the bulk of Pakatan Harapan (PH) supporters, I don’t foresee them ditching PH because the alternative would be to vote for PAS and Bersatu,” he said.
Meanwhile, Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid said he believed the unity government’s image would be hurt if Najib was given a royal pardon.
“The results from the opinion polls show that those who favour Najib’s release are far outnumbered by those who do not.
Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid.
“The impression that Najib is popular among the grassroots ignores the silent majority,” he told FMT, adding that Anwar’s image would also be affected.
Ahmad Fauzi said Umno should reform itself from within while the government must continue on its path of nation-building and institutional reform.
“Umno cannot continue being the Achilles’ heel of the unity government,” he said.
PKR’s Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim is among those who have warned the government that PH will be rejected in the six coming state elections should Najib be freed.
“The impression that Najib is popular among the grassroots ignores the silent majority,” he told FMT, adding that Anwar’s image would also be affected.
Ahmad Fauzi said Umno should reform itself from within while the government must continue on its path of nation-building and institutional reform.
“Umno cannot continue being the Achilles’ heel of the unity government,” he said.
PKR’s Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim is among those who have warned the government that PH will be rejected in the six coming state elections should Najib be freed.
Everyone I know says they will either stay home during the upcoming elections or even vote against Harapan /PKR / BN if Najib is given a pardon after serving not even one year of his sentence.
ReplyDeleteIt will amount to the Anwar Government shitting on the fight against corruption.
What is more fake than the syok sendiri ug ...
ReplyDelete