[ad_1]
PETALING JAYA: Given that former PKR Vice President Mohamed Azmin Ali still has “Trojan horses” in the party, President Anwar Ibrahim has three options to strengthen his party and maintain hopes of regaining PKR constituencies in GE15 say three political experts.
Political analyst Kenneth Cheng said that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and PPBM do not have a majority to rule the country and will try to convince PKR members to join them as they may not be able to influence MPs in DAP and Pejuang.
“The best bet would be for PKR to sign legal statements,” he told the FMT, adding that the party may still have state legislators and assemblymen who were aligned with Azmin when he was PKR number two.
FMT understands that there are six MPs aligned with Azmin and they are waiting to see if they keep their seats. “If they fail, they can jump to Gerakan and compete in the same constituency against PKR,” said an informed source.
The source said that of the six, some may jump ship earlier as there is already talk that they may not be able to defend their parliamentary seats, while at least three may wait until GE15.
The multi-ethnic Gerakan, who recently joined Perikatan Nasional, needs some big names to revitalize it and it will be to the benefit of the party if the PKR bigwigs join them.
Yesterday, two PKR MPs left the party and declared their support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. They are Julau MP Larry Sng and Tebrau MP Steven Choong.
Cheng, who is a member of the Agora Society, a flexible network of intellectuals, said Anwar must decide his next move. “Either enforce discipline by purging these Trojan horses or convince them to stay,” he said.
Socio-political analyst Awang Azman Pawi said it can be difficult to prevent Azmin’s men from leaving the party as they do so individually. “Before the Parliament session begins, the PN is expected to discuss and make offers to the PKR MPs. They don’t have the numbers, ”he added.
He said the only way for PKR to move forward was to purge the Azmin-aligned MPs and state assemblymen and bring in professionals and individuals dedicated to the party’s cause.
“There are many professionals, activists and members of Otai Reformis who have dedicated their lives to the party’s reform agenda,” he added.
Political analyst Kartini Aboo Talib from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said that in addition to purging or convincing PKR members to remain loyal to the party, PKR could ask Amanah to disband and merge with them. She said Amanah was becoming irrelevant after failing to gain traction with the rakyat and many members of the PAS splinter party may be losing confidence.
“In this way, PKR will be able to convince more Malaysian voters to vote for them,” he said. Anwar, he added, needed to go to the ground to meet with his party members, including his machinery, and convince the rakyat about the role of PKR in the country.
On Saturday, three members of the Amanah assembly: Khairuddin A Rahim, Faizul Amri Adnan and Muhammad Said Jonit crossed into PKR. Amanah communications director Khalid Samad said his departure was not surprising, adding that rumors of his departure from the party have been circulating for some time.
But he said his move would not affect ties within PH or between PKR and Amanah, adding that assemblymen remained committed to the coalition.
