Dual power or the problems of the new government in Malaysia
2022.11.20 12:53
Dual power or the problems of the new government in Malaysia
Budrigannews.com – Malaysian political leaders scrambled to form a coalition government on Sunday after elections created unprecedented divisions in parliament, with the group unable to claim a majority vote.
Opposition leader Anwar-Ibrahim and former prime minister Muhyddin Yassin said they could form a government with the support of unspecified other parties. Muhyiddin said negotiations could take days, but he hopes to finalize the deal by Sunday afternoon.
Anwar’s multi-ethnic Pakatan-Harapan coalition won 82 seats in the House of Commons, falling short of the 112 seats needed for a majority, while Muhyddin’s Pelikatan National Coalition won 73 seats and Prime Minister Ismail Sabri-Yakov’s Barisan National Coalition won 30 seats. Get it. He won one seat.
Muhyiddin’s coalition, which includes Islamist parties promoting Islamic Sharia law for Southeast Asian countries, split the vote more than expected, becoming the third major bloc.
He headed to his base in Balisan, where his United Malay State Organization (UMNO) is doing the worst thing in its long history for Malaysia’s dominant political power.
Analysts say the government is likely to return to the coalition bloc of muhyiddin, Barisan and other groups. But if neither Anwar nor Muhyddin can unite a majority, a minority government is possible.
Muhyiddin, who said he was free to work with parties other than Anwar, said he would discuss partnerships with regional parties in Sabah, Borneo and Sarawak.
Anwar did not say who he would work with. In an interview with Reuters earlier this month, he cited fundamental differences and ruled out an alliance with Muhyiddin and Ismail’s coalition.
The coalition of Muhyddin and Ismail puts the interests of the ethnic-Murray majority first, and Anwar is multicultural. Race and religion are divisive issues in Malaysia, with mostly Muslim Malays and many Chinese and Indian minorities.
King Al-Sultan Abdullah could choose the next prime minister.
Although the monarch has a predominantly ceremonial role, the constitution gives him the right to appoint as prime minister any member he believes can win a majority in parliament.
The Malaysian king rarely wields such power after rotating among the country’s sultans, but he has become more influential in recent political debates.
In 2020, after the fall of the Mahathir-Mohamad government, King al-Sultan interviewed 222 MPs to determine who received the bulk of his support. When Muhyiddin’s bloc also collapsed, he chose Ismail.
Muhyiddin said on Sunday that he had received instructions from the palace to form a government, but did not disclose what they would be. Anwar said he would submit a letter to the king detailing his support.
did you get caught?
Political instability is expected to continue in Malaysia, where three prime ministers have fought for power for years.
The country is adapting to the waning power of the UMNO-Barisan coalition, which continued to rule until 2018, 60 years after independence.
The next coalition government will not have a convincing majority and will be plagued with more infighting, potentially damaging the economy.
Voters unhappy with instability may be angry with the new government if the losing party is included.
