While it “should not be a problem” for Anwar to meet UMNO’s demands, the larger issue is whether PKR should even accept Tengku Zafrul as a member in the first place, said political analyst Sivamurugan Pandian of University Sains Malaysia (USM).
“The bigger question is whether this should be a precedent or practice. If it happens now, what happens if someone from PKR moves to UMNO?” he told CNA.
“I think they should draw the line from now onwards, if they want to strengthen the unity government and move as a grand coalition for the next election (due by February 2028).”
PKR SET TO ADMIT TENGKU ZAFRUL
PKR would eventually accept Tengku Zafrul as Anwar saw him as someone who had secured hundreds of billions of ringgit in investment for Malaysia, said Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, a political science professor at USM.
Anwar therefore does not want Tengku Zafrul to be thrown into the “political wilderness”, given the latter’s weak grassroots support in UMNO and the looming end of his term as senator in December, Ahmad Fauzi told CNA.
A minister must be an elected member of parliament (MP) in the lower house or an appointed senator in the upper house. Tengku Zafrul is nearing the end of his term as the latter as a senator can serve a maximum of two terms.
While Tengku Zafrul was UMNO’s Kota Raja division chief and a supreme council member, analysts believe he is unpopular with party members on the ground.
“If Zafrul were to continue in his portfolio as investment, trade and industry minister beyond December, he would first need to contest and win a by-election,” Ahmad Fauzi said.
“So, it’s not surprising that Anwar wants to retain him, at least in the upper echelons of Malaysian politics. If it’s at the federal level, a PKR MP will probably have to resign.”
Sivamurugan, however, said PKR should not think of deliberately vacating a seat, as this would take away the mandate given to that MP and infuriate constituents who might experience election “fatigue”.
“With Zafrul’s experience and also how he has positioned himself, it is better if the Prime Minister can park him in his office as an economic advisor on international trade with the status of a minister,” he said.
“That I think will ease the tension between both parties at this point, rather than going for another by-election.”
