The political understanding underpinning Malaysia’s Unity Government could face a tougher test as relations between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) come under increasing strain, former UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said.
He said the growing differences between the two blocs had also affected the relationship between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, with trust between the two leaders now at what he described as its lowest point since the Unity Government was established in 2022.
According to Khairy, BN’s decision to work with Perikatan Nasional (PN) in the Negeri Sembilan state election had become a significant turning point in relations with PH.
Speaking on the Keluar Sekejap podcast, he said the arrangement demonstrated that BN and PH could maintain cooperation at the federal level while pursuing different political interests at the state level.
“The PH side may see the move as a betrayal, while BN could argue that its commitment was specifically towards cooperation at the federal level and not a permanent political alliance,” he said.
The BN-PN cooperation in Negeri Sembilan saw the alliance secure 25 seats, compared with 11 won by PH.
Khairy said the outcome had inevitably raised questions over BN’s willingness to remain part of the federal administration until the end of the current parliamentary term.
He noted that Ahmad Zahid had previously been regarded as a key figure in maintaining BN’s support for the Unity Government, but suggested that pressure on UMNO could alter the equation if further political or legal developments affected its leadership.
“Ultimately, the question is how much pressure UMNO can take,” he said, referring to possible developments involving Royal Commissions of Inquiry (RCI) as well as criminal charges against party leaders.
Khairy also argued that BN’s position could become an important factor in determining when the next general election would be called, particularly if the government’s parliamentary support weakened.
He said the administration could still command a majority based on its current numbers, but the situation would become significantly more uncertain if BN MPs collectively withdrew their backing.
He further pointed to possible defections involving PKR lawmakers and independent MPs from Sabah as developments that could affect the government’s parliamentary strength.
On DAP, Khairy expects the party to remain in government despite an upcoming vote by about 4,000 delegates on whether it should leave the federal administration before the parliamentary term ends.
He said maintaining government stability and allowing DAP to demonstrate its achievements ahead of the next general election would likely weigh heavily on delegates’ decision.
Khairy also claimed that some DAP leaders had become increasingly comfortable with their positions in government, making an early withdrawal less likely.
-THE MALAYSIA VOICE
