‘Enemy of my enemy is my friend’ not enough for lasting pacts
Political analyst Asrul Sani argues that Malaysian political alliances formed solely to oppose a common rival are inherently unstable. He suggests that future coalitions, especially in the event of a hung Parliament, must rely on formal confidence and supply agreements to ensure long-term governance.
Why it matters
Understanding the stability of Malaysian political coalitions is crucial for regional economic and policy predictability in Southeast Asia.
Parties looking to form pacts for GE16 must forge sustainable, longer-term deals such as confidence and supply agreements, given the likelihood of yet another hung Parliament, said Asrul Sani of The Asia Group.
PETALING JAYA: The increasingly fragmented political landscape in Malaysia has led to a more dynamic and fluid environment, where allies turn into foes, and even return to being allies once again to challenge a common rival.
However, political analyst Asrul Sani of The Asia Group said political alliances built on taking on a particular bogeyman will not be stable enough to last long, including the latest Barisan Nasional-Perikatan Nasional pact.
Asrul told FMT the opposition against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Pakatan Harapan, particularly DAP, was likely to remain a common theme ahead of the next general election (GE16).
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