JULY 30 — Calls for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to resign have grown louder following his administration’s run-in with the palace over the revocation of Emergency ordinances.

Leading the chorus are the usual suspects like Opposition head Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. It is one thing to demand for the PM’s ouster. But it is time his critics address the elephant in the room: Who’s next?

This is a dicey topic which even Muhyiddin’s harshest critics are wont to take a strong stance on, given the political sensitivities surrounding this. At the moment, they take the position of “let’s get rid of Muhyiddin first and worry about his successor later”.

If Muhyiddin for whatever reasons is the main source of problems plaguing the country, would his removal and his successor be able to turn things around, especially with the Covid-19 pandemic situation becoming worse by the day?

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Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim speaking at a press conference at Parliament lobby, July 29, 2021. — Bernama pic
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim speaking at a press conference at Parliament lobby, July 29, 2021. — Bernama pic

First, let’s look at the leading contenders vying to be the country’s ninth PM. Top on the list is Pakatan Harapan head Anwar. Twenty-three years after failing to succeed Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as Malaysia’s fifth PM in 1998, Anwar has been gunning for the post ever since but to no avail. The reality is that Anwar can only muster enough support if he had the backing of Umno MPs, including the kluster mahkamah lawmakers like Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak and Zahid.

As it stands, the DAP, the largest bloc in PH with 42 MPs has announced that it will not budge in its stance on not working with Umno, which the Chinese-dominated party has labelled as corrupt and racist over the decades.

The Umno Supreme Council too, had earlier this month passed a resolution rejecting any co-operation with DAP and Anwar. Without the backing of Umno and DAP, the PM’s post will continue to elude Anwar, at least until the next poll.

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But even if Anwar, through some stroke of luck, were to be sworn in, will he be able to hold the government together or will he need to seek a mandate via a snap poll, which the country can ill-afford with the pandemic still raging?

With its stubbornly stance against working with the DAP, Umno leaders aspiring to succeed Muhyiddin also will not be able to muster enough numerical support in the Federal legislature. 

But even if the party’s frontrunners like DPM Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob or Senior Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein manage to cobble together a bloc and turn against Muhyiddin, there is no guarantee that they will receive full backing from Umno. The party is far too fragmented with its 38 MPs divided into two or three main factions.

The only other potential PM candidate left is Dr Mahathir who leads Pejuang. But with only four MPs, the party is practically an island unto itself. Besides, there’s too much bad blood between Dr Mahathir and Anwar and many in PH have still not forgiven Dr Mahathir for resigning as PM, resulting in the coalition’s collapse back in Feb 2020.

If the Opposition were serious in wanting to reclaim Putrajaya, they need to be honest in addressing the issue of who they want as the next PM. Otherwise, they are like different battalions going to war without a General. It doesn’t instill confidence. And even if victory is achieved, there’s no guarantee that the citizens whom they claim the war is for, will be better off than before.

*This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.