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KUALA LUMPUR – Pakatan Harapan (PH) holds a stronger position in naming its candidate for Prime Minister ahead of the 16th General Election (GE16), expected to take place within a year, given Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s track record and ability to lead the country, particularly in economic and social development.
Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin Faculty of Law and International Relations professor, Professor Dr Mohd Afandi Salleh said Anwar offered familiar leadership and an administrative record that voters could assess.
He said certainty over who would lead the country was a political advantage as GE16 approached, particularly when parties seeking to challenge the current government had yet to reach an agreement on their top leadership.
“Anwar’s advantage lies not merely in his name or position as the incumbent. He has experience in managing the economy, handling international relations and bringing together various parties with differing interests in a government, including those from Sabah and Sarawak.
“The ability to manage these differences is important because governing Malaysia requires confidence across political parties, religions, races, regions and socio-economic backgrounds,” he said in a statement on Friday.
Meanwhile, Afandi said if the Barisan Nasional (BN)-Pas cooperation wanted to present itself as an alternative to take over Putrajaya, the coalition needed to clarify who its Prime Minister candidate would be, what common policies it would offer and how it intended to form a stable government.
He said the slogan of Muslim unity had political appeal but needed to be translated into a convincing governance proposal.
He stressed that an agreement to cooperate during an election did not necessarily mean both sides would agree on how to govern after winning.
“I believe Pas still lacks a nationally recognised and capable leader who can be accepted by all sides, manage a complex economy and build the confidence of coalition partners, including those in Sabah and Sarawak.
“Credibility within a party must be accompanied by the ability to lead the entire country,” he said.
In the meantime, Afandi said voters would also assess the integrity of leaders, who needed to demonstrate transparency and a willingness to be held accountable.
He added that Anwar’s strengths were more convincing when measured against his administrative record and leadership qualities compared with leaders from other parties.
“The challenge for BN-Pas is to offer leadership and a governing programme that are at least on par. Voters have the right to know who will lead them, how the country will be governed and what will improve in their lives,” he said. - AWANI
