PERIKATAN Nasional (PN) is pushing hard for next week’s elections to be taken as a “referendum” on the leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his unity government.  

This is unfortunate and rather misleading, as the state and federal governments are separate.  

It is a political move aimed to discredit the federal leadership – a government put together at the intervention of the palace.

So what happens if PN succeeds in taking power in one or more Pakatan Harapan (PH) states? 

The legal answer should be – it stops there. 

PN will take control of billions of ringgit in either Selangor, Penang or Negri Sembilan’s coffers – three states that have considerably better infrastructure, development and financial numbers than its current own three.  

It can then build a new political forward base and continue its “green wave” assault, training its sights on the rest of the states and to wrest federal power in the next general election. 

But the political manoeuvring will probably go beyond. 

PN will likely pressure Anwar to resign or attempt to engineer a “Sheraton 2.0” using the added support as evidence. 

While the political pressure will be high – unless there is any movement of support in East Malaysia – the PH-Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition will be able to withstand this and work around it. 

PH will likely be forced to govern like BN under Najib rule, where Selangor and Penang were under “Opposition” rule – appointing parallel federal officers to state positions like village councils and liaison officials. 

PN, too, would appoint “caretaker” assemblymen to channel state funds into PH-held areas. 

Neither of these practices bode well for democracy and create unnecessary red tape in channelling funds and political approvals but are designed to cut the other out from the other party’s administration.

PN could, conversely, lower the temperature to a friendly, mature fight, one between rival political parties, without making a vote for a state government out to be larger than it is.   

On the flip side, Anwar, too, should not take a “positive” result as carte blanche to sideline PN states, or politically wrestle them into submission. 

It is time to respect people’s choices for full-term, five-year blocs, instead of undermining and overthrowing successive governments, regardless of whether at the federal or state level. The practice of democracy, unfettered, allows for stability, and with it, economic certainty and progress.

It is well within our present political players’ control, but are they willing to do the right thing, before we reach the point of no return? – August 2, 2023.

* 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.