PETALING JAYA: It is time for Pakatan Harapan (PH) to join forces with civil society to be the guardians of Malaysians’ mandate, Prof Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi (pix) said.
This combination, the political commentator said, could be a harbinger of a new era in Malaysian politics where a “coalition of independent candidates” could play a bigger role in the country’s administration.
Tajuddin said a third force is in the strategic planning phase, observing the current political upheaval after former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and four other MPs were sacked from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).
“The formation has to start this year,” he said yesterday. “But for now, we still need to monitor the political crisis until it settles within two to three months. Who knows, there may be another transfer of power?”
The political analyst said there will be a higher chance of success if PH combines forces with civil society in the next general election, expected to be held in 2023.
“If PH wants to take up the fight, then it has to work with civil society to start a new era by having some non-political candidates as guardians of the people’s mandate.”
A survey conducted by think-tank EMIR Research last December found that 41% of Malaysians will vote for a PH coalition, 38% would choose Umno and PAS, which form the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, while another 17% would vote for independents.
This spells a neck-and-neck contest in the next general election (GE15) with a margin of 3% difference in support between PH and PN.
Former Human Resources Development Fund chairman Datuk Noor Farida Mohd Ariffin said the current government is oblivious to whatever Malaysians have to say. She urged politicians to put the interest of the rakyat above the greed for power.
The retired diplomat said the third force is viable but it requires a lot of hard work to make a change in GE15.
“Don’t forget that Bersih made a difference to the last election and I think the third force can make the same dent too,” said the member of G25, a group of influential Malays.
“Malaysians are just fed up with the whole politicking and abuse of power. The people who need to initiate this force need to fight very hard. What we need to see is democratically elected politicians serving the welfare of the rakyat.”
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