Can the DAP and Barisan Nasional work together?
Political analysts feel this may happen to maintain the racial composition of the government.
The BN may feel it necessary (to do this) in order to create a government of national consensus,” said the senior fellow at Singapore’s S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
Tarani Palani, Free Malaysia Today
It may seem like a most unlikely scenario – the DAP and Barisan Nasional – working hand in glove. But political analyst Farish Noor feels that in order to maintain the racial composition of Malaysia in national politics, BN may approach DAP.
He said this could take place if the Barisan’s Chinese coalition members, MCA and Gerakan are to lose badly in the coming general elections.
“I will not be surprised if the DAP is approached by the BN in the eventuality where MCA and Gerakan are completely wiped out in the coming elections.
The BN may feel it necessary (to do this) in order to create a government of national consensus,” said the senior fellow at Singapore’s S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
He said that these offers made by a party in one coalition to another party in a different coalition were all part of the reality of coalition politics in Malaysia where no one single party could form the government in Malaysia.
“In order to be a national party which represents the racial demographics of Malaysia, it can only be done based on a coalition, even Umno realises this.” he told FMT.
The MCA had recently said that if the party’s performance in the coming elections is poorer than the 2008 polls, it might not to accept any post in the Cabinet.
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had also said recently that the Chinese risk losing government representation if they keep voting for the opposition.
Farish said this when commenting on Najib’s offer last week for PAS to ditch their Pakatan Rakyat coalition and join the Barisan.
Offer to PAS not new
Farish said that the offer was a part of the political games but also the nature of Malaysia’s coalition politics.
He added that the offer to PAS was nothing new as offers to the Islamic party has been made since the 1970s and the party joined the the ruling coalition from 1973 to 1978 under its then president Mohd Asri Muda.
However he said there were still veteran members of the party who will not accept the offer to join the ruling coalition as they felt they were played out by the federal government before.
