Politics in pandemic
With some politicians pressing the pause button on politicking because of Covid-19, what are the potential political fights that have been put on hold until the MCO is lifted?
Philip Golingai, The Star
DOES politics take a break during the Covid-19 outbreak?
Yes and no, according to two political analysts who I WhatsApp-ed instead of meeting them for a coffee because of the movement control order (MCO).
Yes, to some extent, according to Prof Shamsul Amri Baharuddin, who heads the Institute of Ethnic Studies at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
He noted that Pakatan Harapan couldn’t have its roadshow to rally public support after losing power to Perikatan Nasional. Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, he said, could not have clandestine meetings at the Al Bukhary Foundation.
Yes, too, contended Universiti Malaya political analyst Dr Muhammad Asri Mohd Ali.
The Covid-19 “pause” on politics has allowed Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin government to organise itself, he said: “If they can overcome this public health ‘war’ then their level of approval among the rakyat will go up.”
Muhammad Asri Mohd Ali noted that politics has slowed down on the surface as ceramah and political gatherings are now not allowed. But, on social media, it seems to be politics as usual.
“For example, we hear certain groups blaming the previous government for not doing enough to contain the pandemic in the first place while some politicians are criticising how the Muhyiddin government is handling the MCO, ” he said.
From my WhatsApp chats with political contacts, it is still politics as usual for some politicians.
There are Opposition politicians who are scheming to get the Parti Warisan Sabah/Pakatan Harapan/Upko assemblymen in Sabah to jump so that they could collapse the state government.
