AT THE rate Malaysians are turning away from the Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led coalition or the so-called Madani government, the chances of the ruling coalition returning to power in the next general election appear increasingly slim.
Declining Malay support, growing apathy among the Chinese, and waning enthusiasm from the Indian community are eroding the coalition’s base.
In contrast, Perikatan Nasional (PN) could well be positioning itself to form the next government – if UMNO is prepared to abandon its politically convenient ally, the DAP.
Though UMNO and DAP have joined hands to form the current government, their alliance lacks long-term cohesion.
The political glue binding them is already wearing thin. Under the right political circumstances, it is not unthinkable that UMNO – rather than DAP – could be the one to exit the coalition and align with PN.
There is no love lost between UMNO and the DAP – two former political adversaries now locked in an uneasy partnership.
Zahid’s PM ambition
While DAP has no choice but to stick with PH for its political survival, UMNO stands to gain much more by switching sides.
One cannot discount the possibility that UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi harbours ambitions of becoming the next Prime Minister (PM) – especially having distanced himself from Datuk Seri Najib Razak who continues to languish in prison without any realistic hope of a royal pardon or house arrest despite the so-called royal addendum.
PMX Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim may have outwardly expressed sympathy for Najib, even supporting the move for a royal pardon. But his sincerity is now being questioned, particularly by those who see him as playing politics with the royal intervention.
If Zahid has his way, he would undoubtedly prefer to become prime minister before Najib is released. That would allow him to fully control and consolidate power within UMNO.
It is worth noting that UMNO still commands stronger Malay support than PKR, giving the party a potential edge among the Malay-dominated PN bloc.
While Zahid may still be grateful to Anwar for having his 47 corruption charges dropped, politics is notoriously unpredictable. Today’s ally can quickly become tomorrow’s rival.
UMNO’s yearning to return to its glory days may be theoretically and empirically unrealistic but that won’t stop its leaders from dreaming.
At the same time, PKR should not indulge in the illusion that Nurul Izzah Anwar, the party’s vice-president, could be the country’s next PM.
That notion represents not only a tall order but also raises questions of nepotism – an issue that along with declining grassroots support – could derail the party’s aspirations. It could also stoke resentment among other ambitious contenders for the top job.
In Malaysia’s ever-shifting political landscape, loyalty is fleeting, alliances are fragile and ambition remains the one constant. – May 19, 2025
Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
