Dr Mahathir joining Muhyiddin would be like the icing on the cake
SHAH ALAM - Even without Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Perikatan Nasional (PN) stands a good chance of capturing Selangor.
According to Senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs Dr Oh Ei Sun, Dr Mahathir joining hands with PN chairmanTan Sri Muhyddin Yassin would be like the icing on a cake, a plus but not a must.
"Dr Mahathir certainly stands to gain more, as now without a viable political platform he could hardly make his influence felt.
"But Dr Mahathir’s addition would also be a plus to the PN side, although they must take care not to somehow displease him, whereupon he would once again train all his wrath against them," he told Sinar Daily when contacted today.
Oh was referring to Dr Mahathir's willingness to collaborate with PN since Dr Mahathir had said that they share the same objectives.
Dr Mahathir had emphasised the need to prioritise the welfare of the Malays and reject individuals involved in corruption or criminal misconduct as primary goals.
When asked on whether the Dr Mahathir and Muhyddin combo would work, Oh said any combination of strangest political bedfellows could work for a while.
"The chemistry here mainly pertains to which is the main chemical component - would it be Dr Mahathir or Muhyiddin who is leading this combo.
"A Mahathir-led coalition may work for a while, until Muhyiddin pulls another Sheraton Move.
"A Muhyiddin-led coalition may also work for a while, until the ever restless Mahathir decides to topple him, as what he did to Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and now to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim," he elaborated
Meanwhile Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) political analyst Dr Abdul Aziz Azizam said any combination between any political figures cannot clearly translate into which party will be benefit or be elected in the next state election.
"This is because the public measures the effectiveness of leadership within a government based on its achievements, promises that have been kept, and noticeable differences of governance compared to previous administrations.
"When the people have confidence and feel comfortable with the government's handling of affairs, they are likely to vote for the ruling party.
"Otherwise, if the methods and approaches employed by the government fail to provide comfort to the public, they will opt for an alternative party – which will benefit PN," he said.
Aziz added that it is quite challenging to foster a sense of comfort among the population regarding the current government's handling of emerging issues.
"For example, economic struggles, the burden of rising interest rates (OPR), religious issues such as kalimah Allah, government pressure on the issues of the majority community and various other issues that have been in the spotlight has become the primary factor over the individual figures," he said.
