Party leaders are set to gather at Istana Negara today for an audience with the Agong. But with no single political leader enjoying clear-cut majority support in Malaysia, the formation of a committee to run the country until the next general election seems to be the next best option.
According to Assoc Prof Dr Azeem Fazwan Ahmad Farouk, this option would work if it were run by a small number of politicians representing all political parties and technocrats.
“It (the formation of a committee) will work if politicking is reduced. This is essentially what the people want. They want an effective machinery that can find a solution to the current health and economic crises,” said Azeem.
Azeem, who is director, Centre for Policy Research and International Studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia, said the person helming the committee must be someone who is able to work with many quarters and agencies, including the army and the police.
“It’s akin to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s National Recovery Council, or the National Operations Council (NOC) set up in 1969,” he said.
An NOC was set up that year, following the May 13 race riots. Then Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj set up the NOC, with his deputy, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, as director of operations.
Azeem concurred that an “old guard” is required to lead, should an NOC-like committee be set up. He said it is possible for someone like Gua Musang MP, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, to lead the committee.
“I think Dr Mahathir is aiming for it, but I doubt it will happen as he has been given so much leeway. It is possible for Tengku Razaleigh … but it should be noted that he has been out of the administration for some time.
“People below the age of 40 will not know much about Tengku Razaleigh, as his legacy was in the 1970s and 1980s, both as finance, and international trade and industry minister. But if he has a team of good lieutenants with him, I think it is possible.”
Azeem said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s resignation as prime minister yesterday, created a sense of deja vu for Istana Negara. However, the situation is far more complex, compared to Dr Mahathir’s resignation last year.
“Right now, everything is about power play, and nothing to do with politics,” he said.
“Both Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional claim they have the majority of support from MPs. Then, you have pockets of individual MPs, like those from Pejuang and Warisan, and we don’t know who they will support.
“If we go by the numbers, Muhyiddin had 100 MPs behind him, and he was the leader of a minority government. Can (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim deliver a miracle?”
The discretion to choose the next prime minister lies with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and he has a lot to consider.
“Appointing a new prime minister will also not solve our present problem, as the legitimacy of the candidate will be questioned,” Azeem said.
The current situation in Malaysia is akin to what Indonesia experienced following the fall of the Suharto regime in 1998.
Azeem believes this predicament will not end, even after the 15th General Election.
He said politics right now has become a zero-sum game.
“Gone are the days of us claiming we have political stability.
“We are going down Indonesia’s road. It’s going to be tough for us as there is going to be a lot of political crises happening before things stabilise,” he added.
