THE first major test to the working relationship between once bitter political foes, Umno and DAP, will be at the upcoming elections in six states, DAP vice-president Nga Kor Ming said.

Umno and the once vaunted Barisan Nasional (BN) it had led, opted to support Anwar Ibrahim and the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition in the unity government. DAP is a key member party of PH.

Many now see the two pacts working together in the coming state elections to take on Perikatan Nasional, which has become the main opposition pact.

Nga said if PH, with the backing of BN, achieved “a brilliant result” in the state elections in Penang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu – expected in mid-year – then the test could be considered a resounding success.

The six did not dissolve their state assemblies to have their state elections coincide with the 15th general election, as was the case in the past.

“It will definitely make working ties in the unity government smoother and the country more politically stable,” Nga, the local government development minister, said.

He said the relationship between DAP and Umno must be nurtured, very much like a fruit tree that must be fertilised and watered if it was to blossom and bear fruit.

He admits that after decades of demonisation, Umno’s grassroots supporters will find the situation awkward and difficult to accept.

“The same could be said for DAP grassroots supporters. This is human nature.”

He said DAP also hoped that Umno, as the main force representing Malay right-wing politics, would lean towards the middle ground.

There are signs of that, he added.

He said at the recent Umno general assembly, the often-heard rhetoric demonising the Chinese and calling for them to go back to China, were not heard.

Nga said the cooperation does seem to be heading in the right direction as Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had more than once publicly defended DAP since the formation of the unity government.

Zahid, he added, had explained that Umno members had misunderstood DAP because former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had demonised it.

Nga also said if the relationship continues, then the “throwing of stones at each other and fighting like hell” will be a thing of the past.

Political stability

Nga added that a strong understanding between DAP and Umno, much like PH and BN, was important to ensure political stability.

He said such political stability was a prerequisite to revitalising the economy.

“Once political stability is lost, no foreign investments will flow into Malaysia.”

Nga said foreign investor confidence is key to boosting the sluggish economy.

He said after the new unity government was formed, the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange experienced a major rebound – from a net selling to a net buying market – as confidence in the country returned.

It was a rebound not seen in the last five years, he said, as the trading notched RM4.6 billion.

Nga said Anwar’s international standing has no parallel in the country and it would help bring in the foreign investments again.

“So far, the prime minister has received invitations from leaders of more than 60 countries to visit their country,” he added.

“The fact that the Brunei sultan was the first to visit Malaysia after Anwar was made prime minister has sent an important message that Brunei will increase its investment in Malaysia.”

Nga said the Qatar Investment Authority, which manages the Middle Eastern country’s multi-billion sovereign wealth fund, is reported to have capped its foreign investments at US$1 billion (RM4.26 billion) but because of Anwar’s connections and international status, the Qatari government has decided there will no such cap in its sovereign fund investment in Malaysia.

He said the Qatar sovereign wealth fund, which has assets of more than US$100 billion, if invested in Malaysia, could place the country in a good stead to weather the global recession most economists are predicting will happen this year.

Malaysia, once the economic powerhouse in Southeast Asia behind Singapore, has since gone on a downward spiral, with Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand overtaking us, Nga said.

“We have become more of a pariah than a darling of foreign investors.”

He said if this situation drags on, he foresees many young Malaysians going abroad in search of jobs.

“I’m not being an alarmist but the women could end up as house maids and the men general workers.

“It can happen,” he warned. – January 27, 2023.