The Malaysian Insight

THE Pakatan Harapan presidential council should consider alternative leaders, such as Mohamed Azmin Ali and Mukhriz Mahathir, as candidates for prime minister and deputy prime minister at its meeting tomorrow, said a senior opposition leader.

PH Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin said by having Azmin and Mukhriz as candidates, the pact could introduce a “refreshing” take on the country’s politics, and would be able to attract young voters.

Zuraida, who is also PKR Wanita chief, said Azmin had long been involved in reforms since 1998, and had a good record as Selangor menteri besar.

“We cannot deny Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s role in developing the country, but he is more suited to being a senior minister, like Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore,” she told The Malaysian Insight.

She said it had become a trend for young people to win elections and become national leaders, such as the 46-year-old Justin Trudeau, who is Canada’s prime minister, and France’s 40-year-old president, Emmanuel Macron.

“They provide a refreshing take on politics, and it has been proven that they are accepted by the people,” said the Ampang MP.

Azmin, who is PKR deputy president, and Mukhriz, the Bersatu vice-president, are both 54.

Yesterday, former Senate member Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor suggested that PH name Azmin and Mukhriz as candidates for prime minister and deputy prime minister to break the opposition coalition’s deadlock on deciding who should be the head of government if it won the 14th general election.

He also proposed the establishment of an advisory council or council of elders, comprising Dr Mahathir, Anwar Ibrahim, Mohamad Sabu and others.

In a PH meeting last year, Dr Mahathir and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail were proposed as candidates for prime minister and deputy prime minister.

However, the proposal was not announced because PKR wanted more time to discuss the matter at the party level, even though Bersatu, DAP and Amanah had supported it without objection.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin last week said PH had no choice but to name the prime minister candidate before GE14 as the people wanted to know what the opposition pact was offering to transform Malaysia after the election.

Last week, The Malaysian Insight reported that PKR had set three conditions for it to agree to Dr Mahathir being name as the prime minister candidate.

Merdeka Center director Ibrahim Suffian said by nominating Azmin and Mukhriz, PH would be easily accepted by the youth.

“This is because young people can associate themselves with Azmin and Mukhriz.

“PH can also use the administrative records of Azmin and Mukhriz, as the Selangor menteri besar and former Kedah menteri besar, respectively, to showcase the administration’s abilities if it succeeds in taking over the country.”

Too late to name Azmin, Mukhriz as candidates?

However, Ibrahim said, such a proposal was too late to be highlighted as the majority of PH parties had made a decision.

“It will not be easy to gather support from the other parties if new faces are introduced.

“Furthermore, PAS has decided to move forward on its own, and this will split the opposition’s votes and give Barisan Nasional the advantage.

“In this situation, despite nominating the candidates for prime minister and deputy prime minister, it is difficult for PH to win GE14.”

Ilham Center executive director Hisommudin Bakar said the coupling of Azmin and Mukhriz would not have a big impact at the national level.

“This suggestion might persuade young voters by injecting new hope in national politics.

“However, from another perspective, it will still be unable to challenge BN’s political power, which lies in Umno.

“The psychology of Malay voters in rural areas, especially in Umno seats… these two opposition leaders are not capable of penetrating this voter segment.”

Hisommudin said in GE13, the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat, led by de facto leader Anwar, succeeded in overcoming BN when it came to securing popular votes by gaining support in urban and semi-urban areas, but it was still not enough to defeat Umno.

“Despite the strength of Anwar, they failed. So, the combination of these two young people still does not have an appeal tremendous enough to change the present Malay pattern.

“From our observations throughout 2017, Malay voters are being targeted by all parties now.” – January 3, 2018.