Differing views from Harapan leaders on GE14 outcome in Kedah

PAKATAN Harapan leaders in Kedah hold differing views on the possible outcome of the 14th General Election.
Sungai Petani MP Datuk Johari Abdul from PKR and Pokok Sena MP Datuk Mahfuz Omar sat down with theSun to offer their insights into what has been described as a thrilling battle.
Mahfuz is technically an Independent now, because he has quit PAS, but has yet to profess which party he may be joining for the election.
"But I am 100% behind Pakatan. I can confidently bank on this," he said.
Johari does not rule out the possibility of a "hung parliament", resulting from the proposed multi-cornered fights which may dilute the strength of both the ruling federal coalition of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan's opposition bloc.
A hung parliament happens when neither block of a party fail to secure a clear majority of seat in the Dewan Rakyat.
And this will result in a caretaker government until the warring factions come together and agree on forming a government in the best interests of the country, through negotiations and seat bartering.
Like in any contest, Johari said there were positive and negative issues; the opposition may have gained with the defection of former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed to their cause, but on another hand, they have also lost their previous ally, the Islamist PAS party, who intend to contest on their own merit.
According to Johari, the election has become unpredictable because many voters were also keeping silent on who would they be supporting this time around.
"But in Kedah, Pakatan is upbeat because the state is banking on the pendulum to swing their way. They have proven that they can swing either way; to BN or back to the opposition."
The voters may also opt for a third voice, which PAS seemed to be championing on, said Johari, who is a two-term parliamentarian here.
He said that the next mentri besar of Kedah will also likely be determined by which party has the most seats after the election is over.
On the proposition of a hung parliament, which even Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has alluded to, Mahfuz has begged to differ, saying those who predict such outcomes have overestimated the strength of PAS.
For Mahfuz, PAS will fall short of winning the 40 parliamentary seats which is their goal.
"I think this election is between BN and Pakatan. The voters can decide but to vote for PAS is to sabotage the democratic process. Why give vote for a party, who at the end of it will not be able to effectively govern."
Give it to a coalition or an alliance, who have the capacity and ability to govern the country with strong number of leaders, Mahfuz espoused.
He said that the wisdom of the voters will hold sway in what is probably going to be a groundbreaking election in the country's electoral history.
Mahfuz said the election may be close but not to an extent that a hung parliament would emerge from it.
Currently, both sides have expressed confidence of faring well but in an election, the true kingmakers would likely be the voters.