Politician analyzes future election strategyfrom @bfmradio

Transcript

Do you think the elections are around the corner? What's your guess on elections? Johor, Malacca this year, and general elections next year. Late next year? Towards the end of next year. There's some people obviously who think that this is an excellent tier, to have an election because they feel that they are better placed to lead the country in the crisis. I mean, do you think the country can afford the kind of instability that comes naturally from, you know, the the the the interplay of politics and, you know, competitive politics? I would rather not because I think the next three to six months will be extremely crucial in how we mitigate the effects from the conflict in West Asia as well as how we try to build resilience in the economy, and you need political stability for that. The state elections, there's nothing you can do about that because they are due anyway. Malacca is due this year. Johor is due early next year, So we can have that. And that would be some sort of barometer as to where political strength lies. And I think that's enough for parties to sort of have a dipstick test on where they stand. I I think it's gonna be a barometer of Pakatan Barisan cooperation, isn't it? It looks more likely than not that I'm no Johor, Barisan National Johor will want to go it alone. And then maybe if Malacca follows that, Malacca will decide on what configuration works best. So you're right in a sense that Johor and Malacca will inform what happens during the general election. So if it goes well, then you keep the formula. If it doesn't, maybe, you know, seek some sort of reconciliation with Pakistan because it's gotta be some bruising, isn't it? Some some thinking will be required there because there is also the Johor exceptionalism. Johor is not the typical state. It is, still is, I would argue, despite the parliamentary results, rank unknown stronghold. So we'll have to see what results come out of Johor and then try to decide whether it is as I prefer to go solo during the general election or to come up with some sort of arrangement or understanding with either side. You seem to say that it's a given that it's Fakatan Harapan, but I think, you know, one thing about Barisan National is that it is the only coalition of coalitions right now that has the most optionality. Do you think that the Malaysian public appreciates as if you, best suggested that, you know, Anwar is actually kinda good at this? Do you think they appreciate it? So I always use this this term now, the sea games moment. That was when in 2017, Najib should have called for the general election because that was at the height of, I think, the feel good factor. I was running it, so I have a very, very, strong memory of it. And I I told him at the closing of the sea games, let's let's call for the elections no. It's the right time, and he decided not to, and the rest is history. So No had a sea gay had his sea games moment after the ASEAN summit. Optically, prime minister convening this this, conference, which didn't just involve Southeast Asian countries, but global powers rank acquitting himself so well. I think that the public understood that, and they they they they credited him for it. And, of course, it was too early in his term to dissolve. It was halfway through the term. If that was now and we didn't have the West Asian conflict and he called for it, I think, you know, that would have had a big impact on the election. You still wanna be PM? I mean, I'm surprised because Malaysian politics is so fractured. If you became the prime minister, it would be very different, say, from, you know, Mahdi taking over power. Stamp his, you know, authority on the country. It's not something tier prime ministers can do anymore.