AFTER much political talk, legal hypothesising, academic discussion and open taunting, the first day of the current Parliament sitting came and went, with the government’s ejection of Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof as speaker by a mere two votes being the most significant event.

It must have been a tough sell even among Perikatan Nasional parties – chiefly PAS – to install Azhar Azizan Harun in the post. Their supporters panned him as a “liberal” during his time as a social activist and when he served as Election Commission chairman, having been appointed by the previous Pakatan Harapan administration. The awkwardness on Monday was surely felt across the aisle, where the new speaker has many friends.

But more than just deciding who presides over Dewan Rakyat sessions, PN leaders, particularly those close to the prime minister, were keen to dispel the belief that Muhyiddin Yassin doesn’t have the numbers to push through motions, and to seal the legitimacy of his government. PH, on the other hand, was eager to demonstrate that it was the stronger bloc, to match the touted narrative.

In the end, the sitting showed that PN still holds Putrajaya, albeit with the weakest majority in Malaysian history. This means government bills can be easily defeated, and the division bell can no longer be simply ignored. To have bills of fiscal importance blocked will be seen as a cock-up on PN’s part, and failure to pass certain laws will have dire political ramifications, especially for a pact that came into power after its components continually insinuated that majority rights were under threat and implied this could be remedied should they be in charge.

Azhar may need some time adjusting to his Parliament role. Though his first-day performance and the manner of his appointment have come into question, he could surprise his critics in the coming days. In the meantime, what’s next?

At No. 26, it will take a while for former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s motion of no confidence against Muhyiddin to be tabled, if it is at all. Till then, expectations must be aligned, at least for next year, as the country looks to wind down its Covid-19 measures and revive the battered economy.

PH and PN are at their own political crossroads. Both have questions to answer, and the sooner they do it, the better.

The former ruling coalition needs to decide whether it wants to focus on being a constructive opposition or wresting federal power. If it’s the latter, PH must be firm on its choice of prime minister.

As for PN, will it stay on as the government until the 15th general election or dissolve Parliament before then, paving the way for snap polls? And will it continue to back Muhyiddin as prime minister?

These questions are not easily answered, and whatever decision is made has its own permutations and ensuing chain reactions. But providing answers will, at the very least, let the rakyat, business community, investors and trade partners know what to expect instead of leaving them to keep wondering who the government will comprise of in a few months’ time or if there will be another round of policy changes in the near future. – July 15, 2020.

* 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.