PETALING JAYA: Despite the high approval ratings he has received in a survey, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is unlikely to call snap polls any time soon, say analysts.
This is because personal popularity alone does not justify an early election and calling early polls without good reason would be seen as politically opportunistic, said Prof Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian.
“Anwar’s approval rating is certainly an advantage, but high personal popularity alone is insufficient to justify a snap election, said the political sociologist from Universiti Sains Malaysia.
“Instead, the government has to prioritise economic stability, governance and delivering on reforms before seeking a fresh mandate,” he said yesterday.
On Thursday, a survey by Merdeka Center revealed that Anwar remains the country’s most favoured political leader with 51% approval rating.
The survey also found that 42% of Malaysian voters believe that the country is moving in the right direction despite growing international uncertainties and economic challenges.
Prof Sivamurugan said Pakatan Harapan appeared best-placed if early polls are called, as it leads the Federal Government and can benefit from Anwar’s high ratings.
“However, Barisan can also benefit if it continues rebuilding grassroots support, while Perikatan remains competitive in Malay-majority constituencies.”
“Unless there is a significant breakdown in the unity government or a major shift in parliamentary numbers, there appears to be little incentive for the government to have early elections.”
Another political analyst Dr Ong Kian Ming, however, offered a different view.
He said the timing of the 16th General Election may not rest solely with Anwar, but with party pressures possibly forcing it by year-end.
Ong said momentum from the coming state polls, an internal DAP reckoning and Sarawak’s push for more seats could converge in the third or fourth quarter, leaving Anwar exposed, even if he would rather wait.
“DAP delegates may vote for its leaders to step down from their Cabinet positions in the party special congress at the end of August if they have a poor showing in Johor and Negri Sembilan.
“Barisan, too, may want the general election this year because it will benefit from the momentum from a strong performance in Johor and possibly Negri Sembilan,” said Ong.
He added that Gabungan Parti Sarawak may back an early general election as it wants the increase in Sarawak state seats from 82 to 99 passed in Parliament before the next Sarawak election, due by 2027.
Former law minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz meanwhile said he remained committed to an earlier proposal by the bipartisan Parliamentary Reform Committee for a government elected at a general election to serve a full five-year term.
“When I served on the Parliamentary Reform Committee, both the government and Opposition agreed that an elected government should serve a full five years,” he said.
A fixed term, he said, was a promise to voters expecting to elect a government for five years, not three or four.
Fixed terms would also stop any sitting government from using the timing of elections for political advantage.
“Elections should not be used as a political tool.
“A government should not be able to delay elections because it thinks it may lose, or call them early because it believes it can win,” he said.
Nazri said a fixed term would also provide greater stability, allowing the Prime Minister to govern with more certainty.
