Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad ’s recent calls for Malay unity may have seemed spontaneous and even off the cuff, but closer inspection hints at the shifting alliances and strategies that could yet reshape the country’s bitter factional politics. Mahathir earlier this month urged Malays to join Bersatu (the Malaysian United Indigenous Party), which he currently leads, as part of the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition. He even extended the invitation to members of his former party Umno (the United Malays National Organisation), which now finds itself in opposition after last year’s seismic election result. At 94, Mahathir has a new goal: reunite Malays. But what for? “This [invitation to join Bersatu] is not a racist sentiment,” Mahathir said. “We are just inviting members [to join]. There are already four Malay parties, enough. Malays must learn that politics is a serious matter … if there’s a problem, tell us, do not just start a new party.” Mahathir has warned Malays against splintering, suggesting they would benefit from a common cause: “We appeal to the Malays to be sensible about politics. You have 10, or 50 parties, for what?” His remarks caught opposition parties by surprise – but also Bersatu’s partners in government. Anwar Ibrahim , the purported prime minister in waiting, asked Mahathir to clarify his statement. Anwar leads the People’s Justice Party (PKR), which holds the most seats of any party in Pakatan Harapan. Explaining that his remarks were directed to individuals rather than parties, Mahathir joked that Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who faces corruption charges, would not be welcome to join. Mahathir’s overture could be designed to increase the number of Bersatu MPs in parliament. Pakatan Harapan does not have the two-thirds majority it would need to amend the constitution, and even within the coalition, Bersatu has 26 MPs to PKR’s 50 and the Democratic Action Party’s 42. One year into ‘new Malaysia’, but the same old Mahathir? This has not limited Bersatu’s ambitions: its members have been appointed to key cabinet posts and are chief ministers in the states of Johor, Kedah, and Perak. Since last year’s election, Bersatu has accepted former Umno members into the fold, with the most prominent being Mustapa Mohamed, a former trade and industry minister. It was claimed at the time that these former Umno members could not accept any government positions. There may however be other calculations at play, in light of the cracks appearing in PKR, which could in turn weaken the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition. Mahathir wades into Anwar-Azmin row in wake of sex scandal Tensions arose when a video was circulated online that allegedly featured a cabinet minister engaging in a sexual act with another man – identified as a PKR youth leader from the Santubong branch who was subsequently sacked from the party. It is too early to conclude whether Mahathir wants to boost Bersatu membership to pre-empt the party forming another coalition outside Pakatan Harapan if it collapses, or to make up the numbers in the event that PKR splits. But his call for more Malays to join his party has served to destabilise the opposition – intentionally or not. And not everyone within Umno is averse to the idea. Former Umno youth chief and cabinet minister Khairy Jamaluddin called on his party to think about the invitation seriously, even though he himself has pledged his loyalty to Umno. Other Umno luminaries have rejected the call, but the timing suggests that Mahathir may have sensed a split in the ranks of his former party. In a divisive move, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has returned from self-imposed leave to resume control of the party. This was followed by an announcement that former prime minister Najib Razak had been appointed as chairman of Barisan Nasional’s advisory board. While the position is a non-executive one and would not make him prime minister if the coalition regained power, it gives the impression that he has been forgiven for leading the coalition to last year’s electoral defeat. Khairy and fellow Umno leader Nazri Aziz have openly disagreed with the move. All of which raises the question of what will happen to Mohamad Hassan, who played the role of acting president throughout Zahid’s leave. Hassan played an instrumental role in leading Barisan Nasional to three by-election victories this year – placing it on the road to recovery following last year’s general election defeat. The former chief minister of Negeri Sembilan state managed to unite Umno and its rival the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), accounting for the victories. This alliance could be a force in countering the Malay-based parties in Pakatan Harapan. Old habits of patronage die hard in ‘new Malaysia’ In Malaysia, all ethnic communities are divided politically. Yet the fluidity of the current coalitions ensure Mahathir holds the key to current and future governments. He remains a popular figure among Malays, who see him as the only person to uphold their rights against the perceived “challenge” from the Democratic Action Party. No other Malay leader in the country can command that respect, not even Anwar. On the other hand, Mahathir is challenging Malay opponents who cast him as a “stooge” of non-Malays to address their own shortcomings first. It is vintage Mahathir: a throwaway line designed to keep both his enemies and allies guessing about his next move. Norshahril Saat is Fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. He is the author of The State, Ulama and Islam in Malaysia and Indonesia . Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook
