A COALITION government that is cobbled together after elections for the sake of numbers will lack strength and stability, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad, adding that one need only to look at Perikatan Nasional to see the failure of such an arrangement,

The former prime minister said would-be allies should establish the grounds for a partnership now to avoid complications later.

“This could lead to a party pulling out of a new coalition which will result in the collapse (of government),” Dr Mahathir told The Malaysian Insight in an interview at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya.

“This kind of government can’t rule the country. It will then result in a weak government.”

He was commenting on the stated intentions of political leaders to broker deals after winning in the general election to form the new federal government.

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi called such a move a “political reset” which he said would make the party stronger and more stable.

The party has been beset with problems since its humiliating defeat in 2018.

Several of its leaders are on trial for graft, including former prime minister Najib Razak who has been convicted of charges of corruption, money-laundering and abuse of power, and faces more.

The Umno leadership has announced that it will not work together with Bersatu in GE15 and will exit the government as soon as emergency rule ends.

Zahid also nixed the idea of Umno allying with PKR president Anwar Ibrahim or DAP, but the grassroots appear sceptical about this, particularly after party strongman Nur Jazlan Mohamed spoke of the two rival parties in glowing terms and said Umno was receptive to the idea of forming an alliance with them after GE15.

Meanwhile, DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke has urged his party leadership to keep an open mind.

The former Pakatan Harapan minister said the party should be ready to provide a solution if the general election fails to yield a clear winner. 

A leaked audio recording, allegedly of Zahid and Anwar discussing a backroom deal, recently went viral. The two leaders have separately denied being the two men heard talking in the clip.

Dr Mahathir, who was ousted by similar manoeuvres in 2020, cautioned that such a plan will not produce a robust government.

He stepped down as the prime minister in February last year after his then party Bersatu, against his wishes, allied with Umno and PAS to form Perikatan Nasional.

Dr Mahathir said one need only to look at the fumbling efforts of the PN government to run the country and respond to the pandemic to see the failure of the partnership.

He said PN has managed to cling to power because it has declared emergency rule.

The Pejuang founder said the country needs a strong and stable government.  

“We don’t see that now. This is the problem. Elections won’t bring political stability but continue the weakness that is the government now.

“So any coalition has to be formed before the next general election.”

He did not want to be drawn on his plans for his new party, which may have to miss the next general election as the Registry of Societies has rejected its application for registration.

Dr Mahathir said this is because Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin has ordered the registrar to do so.

“I can’t tell (reveal plans for GE15). As you know, before GE14 Najib Razak (former prime minister) cancelled Bersatu’s registration, but we still won the election.”

On ties with other parties, he said Pejuang is in contact with Muda. Muda was founded by Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman after the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.

“We are not against Muda. We want to return to clean politics. No more relying on bribes,” said Dr Mahathir.

He said now is not time for the polls as Covid-19 remains a threat.

“If they do it (call for elections), then I’m sure what happened after Sabah (elections) will happen again on a bigger scale. We are not disciplined as we cannot handle this.”

He reiterated that GE15 should be deferred to 2023 even though the emergency will end in August.

“I think if we want to hold an election when there is Covid-19, we will see a spike (in infections). That is why (even) after the end of the emergency, no elections should be held.”

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong declared a state of emergency effective January 11 to August 1 to curb the growing number of Covid-19 infections. – May 22, 2021.