[Bluebull]

Tie-ups in 2 states a sign of PH, BN govt?

Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) and Barisan Nasional’s (BN) cooperation in Perak and Pahang is a strong indication of their possible federal-level tie-up.

A cooperation between PH, which won 82 parliamentary seats in the 15th General Election (GE15), and BN, which won 30 seats, would give them the minimum of 112 seats needed to form a coalition government.

Analysts say a collaboration between the former nemesis in a unity government was a real possibility and a two-coalition cooperation would be less complicated than a multi-pact one.

“They have no choice but to work with each other, at least for the next four to five years.

“What we are seeing in Perak is likely to be adopted in the federal government,” Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Dr Azmi Hassan said, referring to PH and BN forming the Perak state government.

He said PH giving way to BN in Perak for the menteri besar post was an indicator that BN might agree to PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim becoming prime minister.
“Of course, the difference is huge when it comes to forming the federal government. BN may ask that the prime minister’s position be held on a rotation basis.”

The coalitions are also working together in Pahang, with BN’s 16 state seats and PH’s eight.

Perikatan Nasional (PN) won 17 of the 42 state seats in Pahang.

Combined, PH and BN won the popular vote in GE15, receiving support from 9,243,988 Malay-sians, which is 59.7 per cent of the total 15,491,953 ballots cast. PH secured 37.5 per cent of the total ballots and BN 22.2 per cent.

Other coalitions — PN, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Gabungan Rakyat Sarawak (GRS) — polled 5,505,955 votes, or 35.5 per cent, of the total ballots.

While PN has been public about its confidence in forming the government since Saturday night, PH and BN have been holding talks away from the media glare.

Just before noon yesterday, PH and BN members of parliament converged at Seri Pacific Hotel, a stone’s throw away from the Umno headquarters, to finalise talks to meet the deadline set by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to form a government before for 2pm today.

The deadline was extended for 24 hours following an appeal from the coalitions for more time.

At press time, PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim seemed to have decided to work with BN and was ready to do away with the Pakatan Harapan name and logo.

Observers suggested that the unity government that would be formed would be known as Harapan Nasional or Barisan Harapan.

Anwar gave an assurance that PH would not interfere with court cases involving BN leaders if the two coalitions form a cooperation, as the judiciary should remain independent.

“Court cases are under the judiciary, an independent body. We will not interfere with the judicial process,” he said at a press conference yesterday.

DAP, which won 40 parliamentary seats for PH, through its chairman, Lim Guan Eng, said the party would leave it to the PH top leadership to decide on the cooperation.

“As part of the PH coalition, if PH and BN are forming a coalition government, we will support it.”