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By Mihar Dias
Why not a Prime Minister from PAS?
PAS Youth has openly called for the party to stop supporting other parties’ prime ministerial ambitions and lead the government itself. https://newswav.com/A2609_rZAg4J?s=A_q0GD13a&language=en
And why not?
Malaysia has already had prime ministers from Umno, Bersatu and PKR, along with coalitions, realignments and political manoeuvres. If PAS wins enough seats and commands a majority in the Dewan Rakyat, the Constitution does not say: “But not PAS.”
The real question is what Malaysia would look like under a PAS prime minister.
From kingmaker to king
PAS has long been a powerful kingmaker. But governing is different from supporting or opposing governments.
A PAS-led government would inherit responsibility for the economy, ringgit, investment, education, healthcare, jobs, foreign relations, Sabah, Sarawak, minorities and everything else Malaysians complain about.
Opposition is easy. Government requires results.
The PAS candidate problem
Who would lead?
A prime minister must manage the Cabinet, civil service, economy, investors, diplomats, state governments, Parliament, the monarchy and more than 30 million Malaysians.
The candidate would also need to reassure Sabah and Sarawak, non-Muslims, investors and the international community that Malaysia remains inclusive and open for business.
That is a much bigger job than winning a party conference.
Coalition mathematics
PAS also needs partners—perhaps Bersatu, Umno or others.
Malaysian politics is flexible. Yesterday’s enemy can become today’s ally, and old principles can be reinterpreted as “political reality”.
The difficult part is not persuading PAS members. It is persuading other parties to accept a PAS prime minister.
What happens to Zahid?
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has already outlined his priorities should he become prime minister.
PAS appears to be saying: Thank you, but perhaps it is our turn.
Both parties speak of Malay-Muslim unity and compete for the same voters. But unity becomes complicated when someone asks: Who gets the prime minister’s chair?
And what about Anwar?
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim must decide whether an early election would strengthen his mandate or help his opponents.
If he waits, PAS and PN gain more time to present themselves as a government-in-waiting. Malaysians will then ask what a PAS government would actually do.
That is a question PAS should welcome if it believes it is ready to govern.
Sabah and Sarawak
Any party seeking Putrajaya must remember that federal power increasingly depends on East Malaysian support.
Malaysia is not simply Kelantan, Terengganu or Kedah enlarged. It is a federation with distinct regional identities and expectations.
A PAS prime minister would have to show that he is prime minister of Malaysia, not merely of a Malay-Muslim constituency.
So why not PAS?
If PAS wins enough seats, forms a coalition with a majority and presents a credible candidate, Malaysia would have to accept the democratic outcome.
But winning Putrajaya is one thing. Running it is another.
PAS must explain its plans for the economy, investment, federalism, minority rights, women, youth, tourism and Islamic governance.
Most importantly, it must name the person who would become prime minister.
So, yes: Why not a Prime Minister from PAS?
Malaysia has tried almost everything else.
But this time, there would be no opposition bench to blame—only PAS and Malaysia.
Mihar Dias (mihardias@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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