THE election results are in. There is no winner, at least not the way Malaysians are used to – one that is clear, undisputable, convincing and formidable, or any other descriptive words prescribed to assuage fears of instability and uncertainty, terms we are taught are anathema to the Malaysian formula for economic and social stability. 

The reality is: it is making mountains out of molehills. A simple majority is all that is needed, and that needn’t be obtained by forcing a coalition out of parties that would rather not join, or worse: making parties that had been rejected at the polls join the government, purely for the sake of making up the numbers. 

Politicians from both sides of the divide have limited their options. One group has side-lined DAP and the other PAS.

The damage is so extensive that whatever bridge existed between the two parties, not too long-ago partners, is now all but burnt. 

This leaves Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan with the ‘unpalatable’ choice of working with Barisan Nasional. 

The situation isn’t ideal, with both coalitions campaigning against BN in Saturday’s election. 

However, while PN allowed some leeway, likely to save face in the event the current scenario would unfold, PH went as far as using the slogan ‘a vote for PN is a vote for BN’. 

The conundrum also reveals a conflict between ideological and political convenience. 

Sarawak, for example, is a poster boy for religious tolerance. It would make far more sense for them to work with the ‘liberal’ PH rather than a PN alliance heavily dominated by a hard-line PAS. 

Yet, in terms of political expediency, working with PAS makes sense because there is little conflict, at least for the moment.

PAS does not have much traction in Sarawak, and any furthering of its conservative agenda will unlikely touch the state.

However, how long is it before PAS, which already has a presence and political ambition in Sarawak, decides to push its agenda in the state?

The reverse is true with a PH-BN alliance. 

From every perceived political angle, the marriage makes sense. 

The common PN threat would be cemented enough by both parties to set aside their differences. 

PH needs the experience of Umno in dealing with a resurgent common foe, especially in terms of keeping a moderate Malaysian theme, drawing in foreign investment and balancing smaller businesses in the tourism and entertainment industries. 

Ideologically though, BN and PH have made punching bags out of each other, and reconciling the two will be tough. 

It would be ideal to see PH and PN set aside their differences and form possibly the most stable of governments, with the least amount of politicking – barring interference from a higher authority, like the Royal Palace.

However, that is unlikely to take place. 

The moderating effect BN and PH would have on each other, though, could be the exact thing the country needs to cool the political landscape.

Bersatu left a vacuum of Malay representation that can be filled by BN-Umno and whatever gripe the rakyat has with PH, competence isn’t part of it. 

Together, they could even prove strong enough to withstand the expected uptick in Malay-Muslim rhetoric to be raised by PAS’s strongest-ever show in parliament, almost 50 seats.  

The best way to stabilise the country and bring us back to the moderate track is to keep the focus on the economy and recovery post-pandemic, tasks from which PH has been excluded.

Should BN-PH succeed in doing this, their individual, or even collective political fortunes could be reversed. – November 23, 2022.

* Emmanuel Joseph firmly believes that Klang is the best place on Earth, and that motivated people can do far more good than any leader with motive.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.