IT is not necessary for Annuar Musa to state that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin needs to be replaced.

In other words, Annuar is suggesting that we need to wait for the next general election to change the prime minister.

Right now, he says we need to focus on containing the Covid-19 epidemic.

If Umno or the majority of the MPs are not satisfied with Muhyiddin, why is there a need to wait until the next general election to change the PM?

I am not sure whether the cabinet reshuffle is for Muhyiddin to give Umno members a more prominent role.

There is always the possibility that Umno, being a party without any principles, might take up the offer of more posts from Muhyiddin.

For now, nothing is certain.

If mixed signals are given to Umno, then PKR president Anwar Ibrahim could ultimately be the beneficiary of the exodus of Umno MPs, especially those not facing trial for corruption and abuse of power.

It is not that Anwar lacks the majority support of the MPs, it just that he has not  been given the fair opportunity to prove this majority before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or even parliament.

There are too many obstacles Anwar has to face and overcome to reach Putrajaya.

At the moment the situation is foggy.

Of course, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is not resting on his laurels. 

He is waiting for an opportunity to grab the post even though nobody takes him seriously.

Perhaps he lives in a make-believe world where he is the best prime minister for the country.

Muhyiddin had some popularity initially even though he could not get rid of the albatross around his neck – that of coming to power through the backdoor.

While the first wave of Covid-19 was well managed, thanks to the skills of the director-general of heath instead of the minister, the government seems unprepared for the second wave that struck the nation.

We have reached a point where we are not sure who is running the government.

Bersatu, apart from taking most of the key cabinet posts, have nothing to offer in managing the affairs of the country.

Umno is angry not because Muhyiddin is incompetent but because he has not allocated enough posts to Umno.

Bersatu – a party with the least number of MPs – has taken the lion’s share of cabinet posts. 

PAS and Umno might have embraced each other in Muafakat Nasional, but the cracks are beginning to appear.

In fact PAS, which has fewer seats in parliament than Umno, seems to be favoured by Bersatu .

Recent appointments to GLCs indicate PAS has benefitted more than Umno.

Muafakat Nasional seems hopelessly riven by the divisive politics of Bersatu in PN.

Unless there are last-minute deals struck between Umno and Bersatu through the cabinet reshuffle, the stage is set for a showdown between the two parties.

If this happens, Anwar’s boast of having the majority could become reality.

Looks like Muhyiddin’s days are numbered.

He may not have the luxury of staying in office until the next general election, whatever Annuar may advise. – October 19, 2020.

* P. Ramasamy is Deputy Penang Chief Minister II.

* 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.