PAS believes Pakatan Harapan (PH) could lose power at the 16th General Election (GE16), with its vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah pointing to recent political developments and state election results as possible signs of changing voter support.
Mohd Amar said the political wave against PH could grow stronger if developments in Melaka unfold as PAS expects, while claiming Penang could also see a change in government.
“If things in Melaka go as we have planned, then the wave will become stronger. Penang could also potentially see PH’s downfall,” he told reporters after the Friday morning lecture at Dataran Ilmu.
He said the decision by DAP to remain in the Unity Government following Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s conditional pardon should also be examined as part of the wider political picture.
According to Mohd Amar, DAP’s continued participation in the federal coalition could reflect concerns about the political consequences of leaving PH and contesting against PKR and Amanah.
“If DAP leaves PH, it will clash with Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah). So some of the Malay votes may not go to them,” he said.
He further claimed that a recent study indicated DAP could potentially lose Penang if such a scenario occurred, although he did not provide details of the study.
Attention is now also turning to Melaka after the state assembly was dissolved on September 23 to pave the way for a state election. The Election Commission is expected to determine the election timetable.
On the political implications of the Negeri Sembilan adat and royal dispute, Mohd Amar said the impact on Barisan Nasional (BN) and PAS would depend on how the state government handled the issue.
He said the state government needed to provide an explanation to the public to address claims that BN and PAS had sought to remove the Yang di-Pertuan Besar.
“The most important thing is how the state government explains the matter to the people. Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim needs to correct the narrative accusing BN and PAS of removing the Yang di-Pertuan Besar.
“The state government needs to prove that the narrative is intended to tarnish their image and ensure the people understand that it was actually a decision of the Undang Yang Empat, while the Menteri Besar and Exco merely carried out the order,” he said.
Mohd Amar’s comments come amid ongoing political and constitutional disputes in Negeri Sembilan, with different parties putting forward differing accounts of the role played by the state government and customary institutions.
