KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — Electoral watchdog Bersih today called on the country’s three main coalitions Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN), and Perikatan Nasional (PN), to sign a peace accord after the August 12 state elections so that Malaysia can have political stability again.
It said that with political stability, Malaysia can focus on rejuvenating the economy.
“Bersih calls on the Unity Government of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the official opposition, Perikatan Nasional (PN), to sign an inter-coalition peace deal to ensure political stability as soon as the August 12 six state elections are over, regardless of the election outcomes.
“This can assure not just voters of the six states, but also the general public, domestic and foreign investors alike, that Malaysia can focus on economic rejuvenation by crushing continuous rumours of midterm change of government that undermines political stability and market confidence,” it said in a statement.
It recalled the 2021 Memorandum of Understanding for Political Transformation and Stability inked between the federal government then led by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and PH that was followed by 13 months of political stability in which several key reform Bills, including the amendments to the Federal Constitution banning elected MPs from switching parties.
Bersih said Parliament can and must play its role to elicit a promise that the Opposition will not plot to overthrow the current elected government until the next end of the five-year term in 2027 in exchange for the empowerment of its MPs.
It added that both the current Anwar administration and the Opposition can consider roping in both the heads of the Houses of Parliament to this effect.
The Dewan Rakyat is led by Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul while former Santubong MP Tan Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar is the Dewan Negara president.
“A respect for the outcomes of election and government formation must go hand and hand with a level playing field that allows the Opposition to compete constructively and professionally.
“Only then, the Government and Opposition can compete on policy and governance, and not harping on identity politics such as race, religion and royalty,” Bersih said.
The non-government organisation said its proposed peace deal to include the 10 political arrangements and institutional reforms which includes a Fixed Term Parliament Act for the 15th Parliament to go full term until December 18, 2027 and for the Election Commission to announce in advance the next term’s election dates.
August 12 is when voters in Selangor, Penang, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu cast their ballots to decide their next government.
The first three states were controlled by PH before the dissolution of their respective state assemblies while the last three states were under control of PAS, a component party of PN.
