Déjà vu for Pakatan Harapan? What sets Umno apart from Bersatu

• Main Author: Mohamad Shukri, Syaza Farhana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sinar Karangkraf 2023
• Subjects: JQ715 Politics and Government in Malaysia
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/107002/1/107002_D%C3%A9j%C3%A0%20vu%20for%20Pakatan%20Harapan.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/107002/; https://www.sinardaily.my/article/208326/opinions/columnists/deacutejagrave-vu-for-pakatan-harapan-what-sets-umno-apart-from-bersatu

Barisan Nasional (BN) won 30 seats in the 15th General Election (GE15), but it was able to convince the prime minister to award six ministerial and another six deputy ministerial positions to its party members, including to two who are appointed senators (as opposed to winning a seat via ballot). They have been called the “kingmaker” because the moment BN decided to pull its support from the Madani government, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) are most likely to follow suit, leaving Pakatan Harapan (PH) with the 81 seats won under the coalition’s banner. This is déjà vu. Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), as part of the PH coalition, was able to win 13 seats in the election in 2018, but it was also successful in securing five ministerial positions, six deputy ministerial positions, and most crucially, the job of prime minister. Bersatu was given additional responsibility beyond what was represented in the support it received from the people in an effort to have more equal representation and power dynamics among PH component parties.