THE name that the ruling pact will go with — whether it is Perikatan Nasional (Perikatan), Barisan Nasional (Barisan), or a new name altogether — will show who is in charge of the country, analysts said.
 
They said the name the new government chooses under new Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s leadership is also key to wooing voters at the next general election.

The Perikatan coalition comprises Bersatu, PAS, Gerakan, Sabah’s Homeland Solidarity Party (Sabah STAR), and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).

Meanwhile, the Barisan coalition is made up of Umno, MCA, MIC, and United Sabah People’s Party (PBRS).

Universiti Malaya academic Prof Dr Awang Azman bin Awang Pawi said it is important for the ruling party to reflect its dominance, especially with an Umno man at the helm now. 
 
“It is also important for branding for the next general elections given that PN (Perikatan) has been labelled as a failed government by critics and its own component parties,” he said.
 
There have been exchanges between Bersatu and Umno leaders over the status of the new government, with ousted former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin saying his party will continue to support Ismail and the Perikatan government.
 
Bersatu deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu insisted on Sunday that the government led by the newly minted prime minister is a Perikatan government, despite the change in leadership.

Umno secretary-general Ahmad Maslan dismissed the claims of a Perikatan government, and called the current administration a “mixed government”. 
 
For now, Ismail has managed to skirt the touchy issue by calling the ruling administration a “Malaysian government” when queried during a tour of disaster hit areas in Yan, Kedah on Monday.
 
Barisan supported the Perikatan government but did not join the coalition formally.
 
Awang said the matter has to be discussed among Umno and Perikatan member parties so that it does not spark a rift.

Importance of a label 
International Islamic University Malaysia lecturer Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar said the label counted for much among the politicians due to the connotations associated with a name.
 
“Since the previous governments had been known by a certain label, it becomes imperative that this one should have its own too. The fact that it wants to be known either as a BN (Barisan) or a PN (Perikatan) government shows the importance politicians put on having a label,” he said.
 
“For politicians, especially those who support the current one, the label matters.
 
“PN (Perikatan) advocates want to remind Ismail that his premiership is only possible with their support, while BN (Barisan) advocates want to disassociate (themselves) from the image of failed government (under) Muhyiddin’s administration,” he said.
 
Tunku Mohar said that Perikatan, especially its member party Bersatu, wants to be associated as being part of the ruling coalition, for the purposes of political survival and preparation for the next election.
 
“It is in Bersatu’s interest to be associated with the current regime so that it can still have some leverage over seat distribution in the next election,” he said.
 
However, considering the opposition from Barisan, a new name should probably be given to the coalition that Ismail Sabri is leading.

Show of power and standing
Professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania and Senior Fellow at the Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia, James Chin said it is important for the coalition to be identified with the ruling party to send a signal to supporters and the people about who is in charge.
 
Chin believes that it may be unlikely that they will stick with the Perikatan label as it gives the impression that Bersatu is still in charge.
 
“So, it is very likely that they will remain as Barisan Nasional or Muafakat for Umno. But I don’t think they will name it after their own party,” he said.
 
Essentially you need to send a message to your own party members and the wider community that you are in charge,” he added.
 
Senior Fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Dr Oh Ei Sun said the naming is important as it shows who is in charge or calling the shots in government.
 
“Actually, this government, just like its predecessor, is a coalition government because the previous prime minister was Muhyiddin Yassin and he came from Bersatu,” Oi said.
 
“So, the proper name for the last government would be a Bersatu-led coalition government or a PN (Perikatan)-led coalition government. Similarly, now that Ismail Sabri from Umno is leading this administration it should be called for example an Umno-led coalition government or a BN (Barisan)-led coalition because Umno has its own grouping called BN (Barisan),” he added.
 
Oi added that the name signifies the standing of the political party or political grouping as the leader in the coalition.
 
He added that it also serves as branding for the next general election. 
 
“I don’t even know whether they will still work together and it will be a coalition that will go into the next election… we will have to wait and see,” he said while commenting on the longevity of the current alliance. – August 25, 2021.