Can opposition parties reach a compromise?
Disagreement over the prime ministerial candidate may tear them apart.
Some netizens have said that the opposition front should focus on efforts to defeat Barisan Nasional before considering the question of who becomes Prime Minister after GE14.
They were referring to recent statements of disagreement from Pakatan Rakyat and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.
Bersatu Chairman Mahathir Mohamad said recently that Muhyiddin Yassin, his party’s president, would be the prime ministerial candidate if the party chose him and Pakatan agreed. But he said Bersatu would not make its decision anytime soon.
DAP Acting Chairman Tan Kok Wai said jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim remained Pakatan’s choice and there should be no further talk on the matter.
Despite what some netizens may think, the question is too important to be ignored. But there’s a bigger question: Will the opposition parties be willing to come to a compromise?
Assuming that BN is defeated in GE14, it would be more than reasonable to give the party with the largest number of seats the right to appoint the Prime Minister. Partisan sentiments should not matter.
What will definitely matter is whether disagreement on the issue will tear the coalition apart.
It’s easy to say that someone is not fit to be the Prime Minister, but one would be showing political maturity and selflessness if one could accept a former enemy for the post.
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For now, though, the opposition leaders can demonstrate maturity and selflessness by agreeing on an election battle plan and a common manifesto.