PETALING JAYA: The DAP has expressed confidence that Pakatan Harapan (PH) will be able to withstand any attempt to wrest power in Perak from the coalition.
Perak DAP advisor Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham (pix) said things were different now compared with 2009 when the now-defunct Pakatan Rakyat government fell after three of its assemblymen crossed over to Barisan Nasional (BN).
“Now we have two more seats than PAS and BN combined,” he pointed out.
Ngeh was responding to a report in today’s issue of theSun that said there were attempts by Umno and PAS to woo some PH assemblymen over to enable them to take power in Perak.
The report, citing sources, said that PH was holding on to Perak by a “razor-thin” margin and that PKR and DAP were unhappy with Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu over policy differences.
Ngeh pointed out that unlike in 2009, PH was now also in control of the federal government.
“Now, BN does not enjoy the same kind of leverage it did in 2009 when it also held Putrajaya,” he added.
Therefore, he said, he was convinced that short of something unforeseen happening, PH would hold on to Perak.
According to theSun report, any pressure on Ahmad Faizal could force him to abandon PH, and he has a reliable ally in independent Tualang Sekah assemblyperson Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammad Radzi, who is also his sister-in-law.
Ahmad Faizal is one of the only two Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) assemblymen. Yet he was appointed mentri besar, which has become a sore point for Perak PKR.
To add salt to the wound, the other PPBM assemblyman Zainol Fadzi Paharudin also got a seat in the state executive council.
The mentri besar is said to be considering a proposal for “collaboration” with PAS and Umno.
If he and Zainol turn their backs on PH, Nolee is expected to join them, thereby bringing down the state government.
PH now holds 30 of the 59 seats in the state assembly with Nolee as the independent. PAS and Umno have the remaining 28 seats.
