A Ruling Coalition With A Dominant Party Needed Says Zaid

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Zaid Ibrahim says splitting the seats among too many small parties was a recipe for disaster.PETALING JAYA: A former federal minister said only a government with a dominant party will be effective in bringing about changes and be able to successfully run the country.
Zaid Ibrahim said the country cannot be effectively run by a government made up of a coalition of small parties.
Speaking on “The Future of Malaysian Politics” on Great People TV today, the former law minister said: “This country has problems of many complexities such as race, religion, social issues, and historical issues, and it can only be run by a party with a very dominant voice.
“What we have learned from the last general election (GE14) is that an aggregation of small parties cannot run this country. Which party can get close to 100 seats?”
Zaid said splitting the seats among too many small parties was a recipe for disaster.
He said in GE14, the “aggregation of small parties called Pakatan Harapan” (PH) should have been able to do better had they consolidated, but they did not do so.
He said Umno had the best potential to effect the necessary changes in the country due to its existing dominant size and because it was well entrenched in many ways.
“Umno has the numbers and the people. It’s just a matter of whether the leadership wants to change. But they don’t (want to change).”
However, it would be more challenging for smaller parties such as Muda and Pejuang or an aggregation of smaller parties to effect changes in the country, he said.
As for PAS, he said the party might have the numbers but it would be hard for it to effect the necessary changes because it was led by the ulama (religious leaders).
Asked by the interviewer about the upcoming Johor state elections, Zaid said: “I think Umno will be very comfortable in the coming Johor polls because the issues are less complicated in Johor.”
Johor will go to the polls on March 12 with early voting taking place on March 8, and nomination day set for Feb 26. - FMT

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