Even The Opposition Isn T Ready For Snap Polls Say Analysts

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 Internal disputes within PN, such as who should be their prime ministerial candidate, are unlikely to be resolved quickly.
Last week, Dr Mahathir Mohamad challenged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to dissolve Parliament and pave the way for fresh polls.PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s call for a snap election could backfire on Perikatan Nasional, the coalition he supports, as the opposition bloc is still grappling with several unresolved issues, say analysts
Mazlan Ali and Azmi Hassan noted that internal disputes, such as the question of who should be the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate, are unlikely to be resolved quickly, with PAS and Bersatu both pushing for their own leaders.
Mazlan, a political analyst at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), said the opposition’s lacklustre performance in the Dewan Rakyat could also make voters hesitant to support PN if a snap election is held.
He said the proposed formation of a united opposition front would also require more time for any meaningful cooperation to come about.
“I don’t see the opposition as being truly united or ready to face a general election any time soon,” he told FMT.
On Thursday, Mahathir challenged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to dissolve Parliament and pave the way for fresh polls, following claims by the authorities that the July 26 opposition rally in Kuala Lumpur drew only around 18,000 people.
The organisers, however, claimed that over 200,000 attended the rally at Dataran Merdeka.
Mahathir’s call was backed by former Umno leader Isham Jalil, who suggested that the 16th general election (GE16) be held concurrently with the Sabah state election by the end of this year.
The next general election must take place by early 2028 at the latest, that is 60 days after the end of the current government’s term, unless the Dewan Rakyat is dissolved sooner.
Azmi, of Akademi Nusantara, said Mahathir’s proposal was illogical given that Anwar’s government is just halfway through its term and enjoys a commanding two-thirds majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
He added that the opposition has also not demonstrated its ability to govern effectively in the four states it currently controls – Kelantan, Kedah, Perlis, and Terengganu.
“Most glaringly, they’ve failed to present a clear prime ministerial candidate. This is something voters consider crucial when deciding which party to support.
“How can the public be expected to choose the opposition when they don’t even know who is their prime minister candidate. Will PN only make that decision after a government is formed?” he said. - FMT

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