WHAT’S BEHIND PAS’ SUPPORT FOR NAJIB?
Initially, PAS’ support for Najib could be seen as another tactical move to split the unity government. The differing views within UMNO, and between UMNO and the other unity government members, presented a good opportunity for the opposition.
By repeatedly raising the issue, to the point of filing a parliamentary motion, PAS could stir up more internal disagreements in government. However, there is a difference between using this issue strategically to split your opponents and actually showing up at a solidarity rally in droves to support Najib. The latter is a potentially risky move that most parties, including PAS’ coalition partner Bersatu, have actively avoided.
With such a move, the potential gains must surely outweigh the costs. The prize of going all-in must be big enough for PAS to pursue. It must be so valuable that PAS would be willing to risk its political position on corruption, its alliance with Bersatu, and even the perception of having backed down in its historical animosity with UMNO.
The chief reason is likely that PAS saw this as an opening to join the government.
PAS, as the largest bloc in parliament with 43 seats, still harbours ambitions of joining the government (rumours of PAS potentially joining the government have persisted for the past two years) and the party is unlikely to overlook any opportunity to do so.
If the royal addendum issue is sufficiently disruptive to the government and a reorganisation is in favour of UMNO and Najib’s faction, then PAS, as the primary backer on the issue, would naturally gain a place, potentially in place of DAP.
Such reorganisation would also help PAS resolve a second quagmire that it has with Bersatu, where internal disputes always seem on the verge of severance. PAS vice-president Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar’s resignation as the coalition treasurer last month is a telling sign of the current rift.
