New Perlis Gov't Relies On PAS-Bersatu Agreement - Analysts

By Nabilah Salleh dan Nurrul Huda Ahmad Lutfi

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 (Bernama) -- A new Perlis state government can still be formed without a state election if PAS and Bersatu can come to an agreement and resolve the current political turmoil, analysts said.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Distance Education professor of political science, Prof Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid said a new state government could be realised if Bersatu made way for a PAS assemblyman to be appointed as Menteri Besar but doubted that PAS and Bersatu could reach an agreement following the resignation of Mohd Shukri Ramli as Perlis Menteri Besar and the three state seats being declared vacant.

“Unless Bersatu and PAS agree that the position of Menteri Besar will continue to be held by PAS, but … it doesn’t seem to be so based on how Bersatu has forwarded their Menteri Besar candidates to the Perlis palace,” he told Bernama.

Election analyst Dr G Manimaran expressed his opinion that snap elections would be the best way forward for Perlis if the situation continues as it would return the mandate to voters and avoid a hung assembly, which would affect the running of the state government.

“Even though there are several other options, including appointing a new Menteri Besar or forming a mixed government, political manoeuvering would cause complications.

“So return the mandate to the people for a more stable government,” he said.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) senior political science lecturer Dr Jamaei Hamil concurred with Manimsaran, stating that dissolving the assembly was an option of PAS and Bersatu could not reach an accord, while USM political analyst Prof Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said it was a good move to hold by-elections for the vacant Chuping, Bintong and Guar Sanji state seats to ensure a majority and the stability of the state government, even with the high costs and that the Perlis assembly was already three years through its current term.

“The Speaker’s aim of vacating the three seats is to allow them to be filled and for a majority to be formed… by-elections offers chances for parties and coalitions to assess the public’s true support following the internal crisis in Perlis,” he said.

Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) political analyst Prof Dr Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani voiced his agreement, stating that the three vacant seats required by-elections as the Speaker declared them vacant  after the membership of the three PAS assemblymen had been stripped with immediate effect.

"When they’re declared vacant, you need to hold by-elections. That’s why PAS did not declare they were fired, they would maintain their positions as assemblymen, but when their memberships were terminated with immediate effect and the Speaker was satisfied and declared them vacant, you need to hold by-elections.

"If they were fired, they could still be independent representatives and a government could be formed with simple majority. But this clearly shows there is a problem in PAS that caused three assemblymen to reject the Menteri Besar,” he said.

PN won 14 state seats in Perlis, nine by PAS and five by Bersatu, during the 15th general elections, while the Indera Kayangan seat was won by Pakatan Harapan.

-- BERNAMA