Malaysia's newly appointed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, right, and his wife Wan Azizah take part in the swearing-in ceremony at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, November 24, 2022 [Mohd Rasfan/Pool Photo via AP]
Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim shows his inked finger after voting at a polling station during the general election in Permatang Pauh, Malaysia, November 19, 2022. /CFP
Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition, won 81 seats out of total 220 counted after the nation's 15th General Elections, which resulted in a hung parliament.
PH won more seats, Anwar becomes Prime Minister, a Muslim & Malay fitted to Malaysia's typical Race and Religion politics.
The 75-year-old was deputy prime minister in the 1990s and the official prime minister-in-waiting in 2018.
"Are we supposed to forget what they said during the campaign? Whatever principles left in politics has been thrown out of the window” - Dr Azmi Omar.
Ahmad Zahid has been caricatured as “King Zahid” and wearing a
crown, with leaders of the two coalitions on their knees, begging for his support.
Umno was painted as racist and corrupt beyond repair and Ahmad Zahid was vilified as a bandit, thief and kleptocrat.
Yet, both Anwar and Muhyiddin were going all out to get Umno onboard. “It is unbelievable how principles have been compromised to gain power.
A WEEK is a long time in politics and this could be the longest week ever as Malaysians wait to know who will be the next prime minister.
It is also a terribly confusing time with conflicting news reports about who has the magic number of 112 MPs as well as unverified claims that Pakatan Harapan leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had been appointed the 10th prime minister.
Finally, Anwar himself cleared the air outside the Palace gates, quipping that the post was still “vacant”.
Anwar, looking every inch the prime minister he is aspiring to be, was upbeat and it is quite evident that Pakatan, as the biggest coalition with 81 seats, has been given first option to try to form a government.
It is not an easy task and Malaysians will be on the edge of their seats for a few more days.
The irony of ironies is that Barisan Nasional, the biggest loser, has become the kingmaker that both Anwar and Muhyiddin are desperately wooing.
Barisan, with 30 MPs, was deeply divided. Some wanted Pakatan, some preferred Perikatan Nasional and some wanted to accept the opposition role.
The Barisan supreme council, which met yesterday, decided that whatever happens, the coalition will move as one.
Barisan deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan’s stand is that the coalition is ready to be a responsible opposition.
“Let Pakatan and Perikatan proceed to form the government since they won the most votes. We are prepared to be the opposition and to check-and-balance the new government,” said the Rembau MP.
He said his coalition respects the democratic process and the fact that voters had chosen Pakatan and Perikatan.
The election results showed that voters did not want Umno in the government. They had given Pakatan 81 seats and Perikatan 73 seats.
Moreover, the Umno base had imploded in anger over their president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s earlier push to go with Pakatan.
The Umno base dislikes DAP and has been long weary of Anwar.
“We lost half our votes to PAS because we could not defend Zahid. We will lose the remaining half if we work with Pakatan and we will be swallowed if we join Perikatan,” said an Umno politician from Kelantan.
The advantage of going with Pakatan is that there would be no overlapping interests in terms of the support base.
On the other hand, being part of Perikatan has been compared with selling “goreng pisang” or fried bananas to the same Malay kampung, that is, fighting over the Malay market share.
The long and short of it is that voters, including the Malays, rejected Umno and it would be shameful to sneak back into government by the backdoor.
The fierce horse-trading has been a rude awakening for many Malaysians.
The party that Pakatan and Perikatan had condemned throughout the campaign was being courted as though it is a beautiful virgin bride.
Umno was painted as racist and corrupt beyond repair and Ahmad Zahid was vilified as a bandit, thief and kleptocrat.
Yet, both Anwar and Muhyiddin were going all out to get Umno onboard.
“It is unbelievable how principles have been compromised to gain power. At least with Mahathir in 2018, they laid the cards on the table for voters to choose.
“But this time, they said no ‘kluster mahkamah’, they campaigned against corruption. We voted for one thing, but they were going to give us something else,” said Dr Thor Teong Ghee, the CEO of a charity healthcare centre in Penang.Ahmad Zahid has been caricatured as “King Zahid” and wearing a crown, with leaders of the two coalitions on their knees, begging for his support.
It must be said that although Muhyiddin reached out to Umno, he drew the line on working with Ahmad Zahid.
In Perak, Umno and DAP supporters are still reeling with shock over the new Umno-Pakatan state government. The two parties were going at each other tooth and nail, but are now cuddling in bed.
“Are we supposed to forget what they said during the campaign? Whatever principles left in politics has been thrown out of the window,” said political commentator Dr Azmi Omar.
Just days ago, the Umno campaign had slammed DAP as racist and anti-Malay.
Perak DAP chief Nga Kor Ming, on his part, had jokingly told a ceramah: “Buy one, free one. Vote for Barisan, get Zahid for free.”
Now that the joke has become reality, Pakatan supporters are scrambling to do damage control and justify the U-turn.
“Democracy has a way of humbling those who talk big. Some say it is hypocritical but what we are seeing now is realpolitik,” said senior fellow at ISIS, Eddin Khoo.
Even PKR superstar and Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli was not spared.
He had declared that he would be the first to speak out if Anwar tried to work with Ahmad Zahid. A photograph of him shaking hands with Ahmad Zahid at the Pakatan-Barisan meeting yesterday drew a flood of comments.
Putrajaya is a glittering dream and politicians will do anything to achieve the dream.
But the onus is not on the loser to help form the government. Barisan was rejected by voters, it belongs on the opposition bench.
The onus is on the big winners to work together and sort out the mess.
The views expressed here are entirely the writer's own
Xi's landmark South-East Asia trip expands partnerships
Two multilateral meetings, close to 20 bilateral talks and a sit-down with United States President Joe Biden – President Xi Jinping’s six-day trip to South-East Asia has charted the way for global governance, expanded China’s global partnerships and steadied ties between the world’s two largest economies.
Xi travelled to Bali, Indonesia, from Monday to Thursday for the G20 Summit before attending the 29th Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Bangkok and visiting Thailand – the first time he has attended the events in person in three years. Xi returned to China on Saturday evening.
The back-to-back meetings held by Asian countries took place amid spillover from the Ukraine crisis, which fuelled global financial, energy and food crises, with some countries advocating division, confrontation and decoupling.
The world is again standing at a crossroads, and Asia has embraced a crucial moment in promoting global governance, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said after the conclusion of Xi’s trip.
Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said Xi’s proposals at the G20 Summit indicated that he has always kept the interests of developing nations in mind and maintained the outlook in his diplomatic activities that true development can only be attained with the common development of all countries.
At the summit, Xi said Beijing supports the African Union in joining the G20.
China’s support for multilateralism and its contribution to G20 cooperation is also evidenced in the fact that the 15 projects and proposals put forward by Beijing were included in the list of projects for pragmatic cooperation at the summit.
Bernard Dewit, chairman of the Brussels-based Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said Xi’s proposals at the Apec meetings were not only inspiring for the Asia-Pacific region but also for other countries around the world, especially in Europe.
“At a moment when the COP 27 is closing, Xi insists that his country will push further for green and low-carbon development.
“Every government in the world should approve of his words when he says protecting the ecological environment and tackling environmental changes is the common challenge facing all humanity.”
Raymund Chao, chairman for the Asia-Pacific region and China of professional services provider PwC, said Xi’s written speech delivered to the Apec CEO Summit has boosted the confidence of business leaders in the Asia-Pacific region in responding to risks and turning crises into opportunities. — China Daily/ANN
President Xi has met a number of
foreign leaders and delivered important remarks while attending the G20
summit in Bali, Indonesia, showing charm of major-country diplomacy.
Check out the graphic to learn more:
Counting of votes is under way in Malaysia's 15th general election. Watch CNA's live coverage of the results. Latest updates at https://cna.asia/malaysiage15live
No official decision from Malaysia's king on who will be next prime minister or interim PM. We continue to wait. My earlier tweet was not accurate. Apologies
Malaysia's hung parliament for first time in history
*Hishammuddin Hussein Onn is the real traitor unknown to many!*
PETALING JAYA: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) are ready to give their numbers to Perikatan Nasional in the latter’s bid to form the new Federal Government, but there are doubts as to which way Barisan Nasional’s 30 seats will finally sway.
Analysts believe that although Perikatan chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin declared that he has the majority to form the government and become the 10th prime minister, there were other possibilities on how alliances to forge a ruling coalition could pan out.
Dr Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said although it seemed like a Perikatan-Barisan-GPS-GRS coalition was “almost a done deal”, Pakatan Harapan would also court Barisan for its numbers.
He felt a Barisan-Pakatan government could also work.
“Logically yes, because there is less competition over the (support) of the same (group) of conservative Malays between Barisan and
Pakatan,” he said.
International Islamic University Malaysia’s Dr Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar said it was very possible that Barisan
would opt for a Perikatan-led government.
“Although there might still be resistance from the pro-Zahid group, I think eventually Umno
will decide to bring Barisan to join this coalition.
“There is a growing discontent within the party and the calls for Barisan chairman (Datuk Seri Dr) Ahmad Zahid (Hamidi) to resign are getting louder,” he said.
He said although a Perikatan-Barisan-GPS-GRS pact would have 131 seats, it would present a “cohesion test” for such a Perikatan-led government.
“It depends on leadership. Will Muhyiddin be able to impose discipline? Will GPS accommodate PAS’ views and vice-versa?” he said.
As for Pakatan, Tunku Mohar said the coalition’s chances to come to power was very slim.
“The only chance is if Barisan decides not to join Perikatan, GPS and GRS,” he added.
He said the possibility of Barisan and Pakatan joining forces would also
depend on PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, and DAP and pro-Perikatan MPs being able to accept such a coalition.
It is understood that Umno leaders are also divided over supporting Perikatan or Pakatan.
Commenting on this, Tunku Mohar said it would be a tough call for Barisan.
“It is divided because a faction would not want to work with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, while another would not want to work with Muhyiddin.
“It’s unclear if their division is over policy matters. It has to choose between being a weak coalition partner with Perikatan and a slightly
stronger one with Pakatan. It’s a dilemma because it will also affect its survival,” he said.
Pakatan won 81 seats, while Perikatan took 73, GPS 22 and GRS six.
BN-PH pact: No DAP or Pakatan government, it's a unity government, says Anwar
I’m the sole PM candidate if Pakatan-Barisan pact works out, says Anwar
Barisan to collectively decide on post-electoral pact by Tuesday, says Dr Wee
Anwar’s PH might not secure enough seats to form majority, says analyst
Both Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) are now scrambling to forge alliances with other parties to amass the seats needed to form the next government. Despite having won the most seats, PH is unlikely to clinch the support it needs, analyst Dr Oh Ei Sun tells CNA’s Asia Now. Read more: https://cna.asia/3EmnRTF
Anwar Ibrahim says his Pakatan Harapan coalition has the numbers to be able to form a government but declines to say which other parties are supporting him. Perikatan Nasional (PN) leader and former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin has left the door open for “like-minded” parties to form a ruling coalition, after results so far showed PN neck and neck with PH. Mr Muhyiddin has ruled out working with PH.
COMMENTS: PH beat PN by 1.2 million popular votes.
If PH can't form the government, then the rakyat's mandate is robbed again
by Tommy
Thomas the ex AG has stated that the correct procedure in a hung parliament situation is that the constitutional monarch should give the opportunity for the leader of the party with the most seats to form the government. And when parliament convenes in usually, a month, the appointed leader can demonstrate a vote of confidence then. If he cannot then and only then another party be given the chance to lead.
If such is the case, I hope PH has the plan to mobilise a peaceful show of force at the palace. Must be mostly Melayus. Not like the Bersih rally mostly Chinese and Indians. This King has a unique way of appointing PMs and perhaps he should be guided when the results are there. Even if PH wins 90+ or better 100+, his duty and prerogative is only DSAI. *VERY URGENT, VERY IMPORTANT* .
The true power of the government lie with the VOTERS, not the party, nor the winning candidates.
Therefore it's the voters who should be given the mandate to form the government.
So the analysis of the number of votes that each party has garnered should be considered by the Agong before he invites the party leaderships to form the government.
That indeed is the true strength of any party.
In a negotiation to form a government all parties are to be recognised only on the aggregate number of votes won by the individual parties, not the number of seats won. That truly is democracy, (government by the majority). The formation of the government cannot be left entirely to 4 or 5 party leaders or the 112 candidates who won their seats.
This is a very valid and fairer representation of the
''government by the people'' (one of the 3 principles of democracy) .
Pakatan Harapan should present this to the Agong immediately. He should take his time to get the figures of each parties from the SPR.
_From Dato Dr Ridzuan 0173887585
Please viral quickly. *Please share this to all Sabahans, Sarawakians, all political parties and all Malaysians*
Please join me to push this
Pakatan Harapan is to be given the FIRST right to form the coalition of parties that will make up the simple majority to form Government. Hence, we need to convinve hard that GRS and GPS will join PH. If they don't want to join PH, then the right will be given to the next bloc to garner support from other parties to form the coalition that will make the simple majority.
If any NGO, Association, Councils, Unions, Bodies, Societies, chambers, communities, please *VOICE OUT* the support for PH now before too late.
Actually, we can do something. We are in the marketplace. Share with your business people in Sabah and Sarawak that they should tell GRS and GPS to work with PH and not let the country be governed by an extremist party
*Please share this to all Sabahans, Sarawakians, all political parties and all Malaysians*
Hung parliament for Malaysia, with Pakatan Harapan slightly in front of Perikatan Nasional
Malaysia has a hung parliament, with Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) neck and neck in the race to form a government in the country's 222-seat parliament.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said early on Sunday (Nov 20) that his PH coalition has the numbers to form a government. He did not reveal
which parties are supporting him, saying only that he will notify the palace accordingly.
PN chairman and former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, on the other hand, said the coalition is ready to work with other parties
to form a government, but ruled out joining hands with the PH.
BN's Khairy Jamaluddin, the health minister who helped to steer Malaysia through the COVID-19 pandemic, also lost his seat, as
with finance minister Tengku Zafrul.
Highlights from the results of Malaysia's 15th General Election
THE next government is still a work in progress while Malaysians are trying to wrap their heads around the stunning outcome of the 15th General Election (GE15).
As at press time, Barisan Nasional was on the way to a defeat more crushing than in 2018.
There are already calls for Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is Barisan chairman and Umno president, to take responsibility and resign.
The shocker of the night was the dark horse Perikatan Nasional giving Barisan Nasional the fight of its life.
The Malay wave that rumbled towards Perikatan has enabled it to wrest Perlis and and roll over the other Malay states.
Some viewed it as the “green tsunami,” a reference to PAS which is the dominant partner in Perikatan.
The two coalitions were neck-and-neck in many seats and a video from Kepala Batas of Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican conceding defeat to Perikatan a little after 10pm, said it all because an Umno stronghold that was once held by a former prime minister had fallen.
Perikatan, with PAS providing a strong Islamic voice, had
sucked away Malay votes that would have otherwise gone to Umno and it included the civil service, Malay professionals and Malay first-time voters.
There is a very powerful subtext to this. It signals that Malays who rejected a Malay party they regarded as tainted had also
spurned the multiracial Pakatan Harapan.
They preferred to turn to an alternative that was very much centred around race and religion.
The fact that Perikatan managed to win the prestigious Putrajaya seat was another clear sign that the country’s top civil servants had rejected
Barisan.
They felt that Umno had not learnt from the fall of 2018 and had failed to change according to the times.
The economy had affected ordinary people where it hurt most, but corruption and integrity were important issues among the professional class.
There is still no sign of what kind of government will be formed out of this confusing state of affairs.
However, Pakatan captain Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is nearing his dream to be the next prime minister with the credible win by his coalition.
Will he be able to cobble together a coalition government in the coming hours?
Winning so well was tough but the harder part lies ahead.
The new Tambun MP had run a great campaign, igniting excitement in Perak and beyond.
He managed to capture the national mood and public imagination as he zipped from east to west and north to south over the last fortnight.
There was criticism about him jetting about in a private helicopter but it was a necessary mode of transport in order to reach out as extensively as possible.
It also gave him the air of a man on a mission, who was willing to go the distance to achieve his goal.
Many Pakatan supporters who had written him off rallied behind Pakatan as he stirred interest and, more importantly, revived belief in him.
The Chinese especially are still thirsting for a truly Malaysian leader and he seemed to quench their thirst with his multiracial narrative, his energy and his personal charm.
The last general election was shaped by people gravitating towards Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
This election found Malays swaying to Perikatan, a pattern evident in Malay seats all over the country.
The Malay voters had decided to try out a new dish on the political menu.
The atmosphere at the Umno headquarters was not as dazed and shocked as in 2018, but none of them thought that lightning would strike twice.
A voice recording from Melaka Umno chief Datuk Seri Abdul Rauf Yusoh, at
about 1pm, instructing the Umno machinery to get their “white voters” out to vote was the first indication of trouble for Barisan.
Barisan had become too complacent after the fantastic wins in Johor and Melaka.
The coalition had called the election confident of being the next government but it seemed out of sorts throughout the campaign.
The campaign lacked oomph! and did not seem coordinated. Barisan failed to
show that it was in charge even though Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was the caretaker prime minister.
Ismail Sabri did not travel
the country to rally the troops, selecting only certain areas to go to. He did not have a strong narrative and he was eclipsed by Anwar’s star
power.
Umno’s Mr Nice Guy was somehow not the average Malaysian’s notion of a prime minister.
Barisan election director Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who did such a great job in the Johor and Melaka elections, could have been more hands on. Instead of moving around to help campaign elsewhere, he kept to Rembau.
But Barisan’s problem was Ahmad Zahid who was like the proverbial sitting duck.
He
was the prime target of attacks that highlighted his corruption court case as well as an intense psywar that he would be the prime minister if
Barisan wins.
However, he was too powerful in Umno and no one dared to bell the cat.
The most tragic news of the night was Dr Mahathir losing his deposit in Langkawi. It was the ultimate rejection for this once great man who changed the fortunes of this island in the sun.
Turbulent days lie ahead for Malaysia but the voters have decided.
All smiles: Supporters celebrating at the Seberang Prai Vocational College counting centre in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Pakatan Harapan has lived up to its tag as the favourite, winning 10 of the 13 seats here.
But it was not without a heavy price. PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar lost in her father’s home seat of Permatang Pauh.
The seat had been with her family since 1982, having been won by her father, her mother and herself.
Also falling by the wayside was Barisan Nasional’s incumbent Kepala Batas MP Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.
Earlier, Barisan also lost its stronghold in Tasek Gelugor to Perikatan Nasional’s Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan.
DAP, however, had a good outing, making a clean sweep of the seven seats it contested. Leading the way was Penang Pakatan chairman Chow Kon Yeow, who emerged victorious in the Batu Kawan parliamentary seat with ease.
“The election is not about Chow Kon Yeow or Batu Kawan, but it is a call for Malaysia to be saved,” he said afterwards.
Chow, who is in his final term as MP, had moved away from his comfort zone in Tanjong on the island to contest the Batu Kawan seat on the mainland.
His six other party comrades also did equally well.
Shocking defeat: Nurul Izzah reacting to the news of her loss in Permatang Pauh. — Bernama
They
were DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng (Bagan), legal bureau chief Ramkarpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor), organising secretary Steven Sim Chee Keong (Bukit
Mertajam), central executive committee members RSN Rayer (Jelutong), and Lim Hui Ying (Tanjong) and Syerleena Abdul Rashid (Bukit Bendera).
As for PKR, it successfully secured the three seats of Balik Pulau, Bayan Baru and Nibong Tebal, despite Nurul Izzah’s defeat.
Wanita
PKR chief Fadhlina Sidek was the surprise package, stealing the limelight in Nibong Tebal by gunning down two-term MP Datuk Mansor Othman of Perikatan to cap a memorable political debut.
Mansor had won the seat earlier on a Pakatan ticket before defecting.
The other two PKR seats – Bayan Baru and Balik Pulau – saw incumbents Sim Tze Tzin and Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik emerging victorious in keenly fought contests.
There are 13 parliamentary seats in Penang – six on the island and seven on the mainland.
In the last elections, Pakatan won 11, with DAP getting seven and PKR four while Barisan had two.
Two MPs – one each from Pakatan and Barisan – quit to join Bersatu.
Besides Mansor, the other who defected was Datuk Shahabudin Yahya, who did not contest in Tasek Gelugor this time.
