Independent MPs could emerge as a third force

Is a third force emerging in Parliament? Going by recent political developments, this seems to be so.

The resignation of two Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) MPs - Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim (left) of Bayan Baru and Tan Tee Beng of Nibong Tebal - from the party on Feb 12 and March 1, respectively, has raised to five the number of independent MPs in the Dewan Rakyat.

The three other independent MPs are Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Pasir Mas), who had contested in the last general election on a PAS ticket, and Datuk Eric Majimbun (Sepanggar) and Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui (Tawau) of the SAPP which pulled out of the Barisan Nasional (BN).

"The independents block is becoming a third force," said political analyst Dr Sivamurugan Pandian.

Besides the five independent MPs, the Dewan Rakyat has 137 MPs from the BN and 80 from the opposition Pakatan pact comprising 29 from PKR, 28 from the DAP and 23 from PAS.

"PKR now only has a single-seat majority among the parties of the opposition pact. This shows that the PKR is getting weaker," said Dr Sivamurugan.

Leaning left or right

The block of independents could lean to the right or left, said the political analyst making reference to the case in Perak where three state assemblymen signed from their parties to become BN-friendly independents and toppled the Pakatan state government in February last year.

The switch of allegiance by the three elected representatives - Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang) and Captain (Rtd) Mohd Osman Jailu (Changkat Jering) of the PKR and Hee Yit Foong (Jelapang) (left) of the DAP - left the Pakatan and BN with 28 assemblypersons each in the 59-seat Perak legislative assembly.

The recent resignation of the PKR MPs is expected to have a bearing on the voice in the Dewan Rakyat of the opposition pact which has yet to have a shadow cabinet to reflect it is the government in-waiting as proposed by several of its leaders.

For the BN, if all the five independent MPs are to lean towards it, the ruling coalition would need the support of only six more MPs to muster the vital two-thirds majority to amend or approve certain laws. The BN needs 148 of the 222 seats to command that majority.

Former PKR secretary-general Datuk Sallehuddin Hashim, who had also quit the party, claimed that 10 PKR elected representatives would leave the party soon.

Besides Zahrain and Tee Beng, former Penang deputy chief minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin resigned from the party on Sunday and joined Umno.

"The truth of the matter is that these recent developments will be evaluated by the people.

"It will change their perception of the PKR and the Pakatan pact, especially among the fence-sitters and non-partisan youngsters among thevoters," said Sivamurugan.

- Bernama