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By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright November 2022
The question foremost on the minds of political leaders now is not merely "to merge or not to merge" but who to be jumping into bed with to form a government #GE15.
To merge or not to merge is synonymous with "To be or not to be!" in Hamlet, by (William Shakespeare).
It is the opening phrase of a soliloquy by the prince who contemplates death and suicide, weighing the pain and unfairness of life with the alternative, which could be worse.
"To be, or not to be, that is the question:/Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer/The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune/Or to take arms against a sea of troubles/And by opposing end them." (William Shakespeare)
Almost similar to Hamlet the question on the minds of leaders now is whom would they be looking to merge with in the event they failed to secure a simple majority to form a new government.
That's the formidable question when votes are in on 20th November.
The Barisan Nasional (BN) or Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition might have to “merge” with other parties if either failed to secure a simple majority in the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat to form a government.
According to Ismail Sabri Yaakob, our caretaker prime minister, a coalition would possibly involve Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
However, the decision to do so would be guided by the final tally after polling day.
“We cannot form the next federal government with only 85 parliamentary seats as we need a simple majority of 112 seats to do so,” Ismail Sabri said after launching a new Angkasapuri Media City building complex on Oct 26. (The Edge Markets)
He added BN would have to collaborate with other parties like what GPS did in Sarawak or what GRS did in Sabah or any other parties to be determined by party leadership.
The Edge quoting a Senior fellow at Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research says that BN might be able to win only 80 to 85 parliamentary seats in Peninsular Malaysia which has a majority of at least 65% Malay voters. (The Edge Markets)
That is on the proviso that they are not whittled down by other Malay-based parties in Perikatan Nasional (PN) which might put up a strong challenge.
But Ismail Sabri Yaakob knows that 80 or 85 is still way too low for BN to secure a simple majority of 112 seats to form a government. Thus the need to secure support from Sabahans and Sarawakians.
Meanwhile, Pakatan Harapan is thinking likewise too. They are also hopeful of getting 80 to 85 seats themselves with strong forecasted wins by PKR, DAP, and Amanah.
They too would have to appeal to those parties in East Malaysia to get to that simple majority of 112 seats to form a government.
Anwar Ibrahim has made this clear when he offered the post of a Deputy Premier to Sabah and Sarawak.
But then again there are other possible scenarios also but too long for us to elaborate here. But be rest assured that merger is the rule of the day come November 20.
Politics make strange bedfellows and we'll never know who will be jumping into bed with whom until the bell rings.
That reminds us of another play The Tempest, by William Shakespeare where a character says “Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows." It was spoken by a man who has been shipwrecked and finds himself in a shelter next to a sleeping monster.
Political interests here and everywhere can bring together people who otherwise have little in common. They do make strange bedfellows in time of need.
PH or PN and East Malaysian partners are just one form of merger. There are others still in the wings that might come as convenient bedfellows when the situation becomes desperate.
We'll have to wait and see but I won't say keep your fingers crossed because it's now haram for Muslims to do so.
Well, good luck then to all bedfellows who are contemplating on to merge or not to merge and whom to be jumping into bed with come November 20th.
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