KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — One day after the 15th general election, Malaysia still does not have a government with a hung Parliament the result of not a single political coalition having a commanding majority.
Barisan Nasional (BN) which was mauled badly at the polls is apparently deciding on which coalition — Pakatan Harapan (PH) or Perikatan Nasional (PN) — to partner up with to form the federal government.
Sources within Umno Supreme Council — Umno won 27 of the coalition’s 30 seats — confirmed there are ongoing talks with both PH and PN.
“Yes, there are talks with others, not just one,” said one source.
Another source also confirmed this, saying BN is still needed to help form a “stable government.”
“In the end, BN is still needed to make a stable government despite the small number of seats won,” the source told Malay Mail.
Umno postponed their Supreme Council meeting scheduled this afternoon after their Political Bureau meeting at noon.
Umno Supreme Council member and Sabah chief Datuk Seri Bung Mokhtar Radin told reporters that the political future of the party was discussed at the meeting.
“We have yet to decide (on forming coalitions). We will discuss more,” he told the media waiting at the lobby.
Earlier today, with Malaysia’s Parliament hung, the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong ordered coalition and party leaders to notify Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun of their numbers to form a new government by 2pm tomorrow.
He also told them to state clearly their respective prime minister candidates, Comptroller of the Istana Negara Datuk Seri Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said in a statement this afternoon as the post-election impasse continued.
PH currently has 82 seats while PN have 73. Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has 24 while their Sabah People’s coalition which is made up of both Umno and Bersatu among local parties has six.
