Malaysia’s political ceasefire shows early signs of promise. How long will it last?

Name: Malaysia eases Covid-19 rules as it seeks to boost inoculation with China’s one-dose vaccine
Uploaded: 2021-09-19T04:00:12.000Z
Duration: 2 min 13 s
Description: Malaysia eases Covid-19 rules as it seeks to boost inoculation with China’s one-dose vaccine

Under a new pact PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob will introduce term limits and restructure parliament in return for the opposition Pakatan Harapan offering support for the 2022 budget

The aim is to provide the government breathing space as it navigates the Covid-19 crisis. The early signs are good, experts say, but the PM shouldn’t expect a ‘free ride’

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Hopes are high that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob may be able to avoid the turbulence of his predecessor. Photo: Bloomberg

Hadi Azmi

Published: 12:00pm, 19 Sep 2021

The unprecedented cooperation pact between Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s government and the main opposition bloc is barely a week old, but analysts say there is good reason to be upbeat as the agreement shows early signs of promise.

Nonetheless, whether Monday’s signing of the so-called “Political Transformation and Stability” pact heralds an end to the country’s rollercoaster-style politics will depend on the actions of both sides beyond their initial peace gestures, according to the observers.

Billed as a sort of political ceasefire agreement, the pact stipulates that the 88-MP Pakatan Harapan bloc will not actively seek to trigger fresh polls before July next year, and will offer in-principle support for key measures such as the upcoming 2022 budget.

In exchange, Ismail Sabri has promised a slew of policy changes such as a prime ministerial term limit and a restructuring of parliament – moves that are central to the reform-minded Pakatan Harapan’s policy platform.

While the agreement is not a binding confidence and supply agreement, it is likely to give Ismail Sabri – the country’s third prime minister in three years – some breathing room to steer the country out of a Covid-19 crisis that has claimed over 20,000 lives and battered the economy.

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Malaysia eases Covid-19 rules as it seeks to boost inoculation with China’s one-dose vaccine

The government, backed by 114 MPs, has moved quickly to underscore that this bipartisanship is not just empty talk.