A CONSTITUTIONAL law expert said that Menteri Besar Azmin Ali should call for early elections in Selangor. 

By doing so, all talk of a revolt against his government can be put to bed and a dysfunctional system of sharing power with PAS that has no official links with PKR and DAP can be resolved once and for all. 

‎Aziz Bari said a fresh mandate from voters in the richest state in Malaysia will take away the uncertainty that has emerged after PAS decided to cut ties with PKR at its just-concluded party congress.

This decision complicates an already mixed-up arrangement of power in Selangor where elected representatives of PAS, PKR and DAP form the state government but where PAS has not had official links with DAP since 2015.

Given this situation of where PAS has made clear it wants to end its alliance with PKR, Aziz said ‎he saw only one way forward to end any uncertainty.

“It’s best if the menteri besar asks the sultan to dissolve the state legislature now, we’ve already had a four-year mandate.

“The state government needs a fresh mandate with a firm administration that will erase all doubts, especially after PAS says it wants to end ties with PKR,” Aziz told The Malaysian Insight.

‎But not everyone believes that PAS representatives will cross the political divide and throw their support behind Barisan Nasional.

In order for the state government to change hands, all 13 PAS state lawmakers would have to cross sides to join with the 11 from BN. Three PH Selangor assemblymen and two independent lawmakers would also have to switch allegiances for this to work.

Given the difficulty of pulling this off, political analyst Mohamad Hisomuddin Bakar of the Ilham Centre said that it was highly unlikely that PAS state lawmakers would switch sides.

This is since PAS – through its membership in the Selangor government – stands to lose about 5,000 appointed posts at local councils and village committees.

“If PAS pulls out of the Selangor government, they would also lose control of the network of mosques and surau throughout the state that they use to spread the party’s agenda,” said Hisomuddin, who specialises in PAS and Malay politics.

Hisomuddin also does not think that PAS will end ties with PKR before the expiry of the Selangor government’s mandate in May next year.

Although PAS members want it, the final decision rests with the party’s Syura Council, a body of its most senior religious scholars.

“There are two scenarios. Either the Syura Council gives the green light to end ties now, or it says they will continue to cooperate with PKR until the state assembly is dissolved for the 14th general election. I believe that the second option is likely.”

Hisomuddin agreed with Aziz that the current set up in the Selangor administration was problematic as PAS cannot work with DAP.

“We are in the situation where the political parties chosen by the voters cannot translate their promises into public policy because they cannot work together.” – May 9, 2017.