00:00As we come up to G16, do you think PAS will come to power?
00:05I say PAS can come into power by default. That is the caveat, by default.
00:13When I say by default means what? When the Chinese boycott election or cast sport vote.
00:22Former MCA President Dr Chua Soylek warns that PAS could take power by default if the
00:28Chinese community stays away from the ballot boxes at the 16th general election.
00:33In an exclusive interview with FMT, Chua said the issue is being debated
00:38quietly among Chinese voters, many of whom are disillusioned with Pakatan Harapan and DAP.
00:44Setting out his seat arithmetic, Chua said,
00:48We have 222 parliamentary seats. In order to be in control of central government,
00:58either you join with others or you must have 113, that magic number.
01:03PAS is unlikely to make any breakthrough in Sarawak and Sabah.
01:24So that 56 for PAS to penetrate, to me, is unlikely.
01:34Chua said Malaysia also has 32 Chinese majority parliamentary seats,
01:39where DAP is expected to remain strong.
01:42So 56 plus 32 is 88.
01:48In other words, PAS start off with a handicap of 88 seats, they are unable to get votes.
01:56That means there are 134 seats that PAS can buy for.
02:00To govern outright, PAS would need to secure 113 of those 134 seats.
02:06They must win at least 113 to form the government.
02:11To me, unlikely, provided the Chinese come out to vote.
02:16In Malaysia, we don't go by popular vote.
02:21We form the government based on the number of seats won in each parliamentary seat.
02:27Chua also said Barakatah National is attempting to broaden its appeal
02:31by projecting Tringganu Menteri Besar and PN Chairman Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar,
02:35popularly known as Dr. Sam, as a more acceptable national figure.
02:40However, that plan remains untested among non-Muslim voters, he added.
02:45Dr. Sam is an unknown factor. He's an unknown man.
02:50For somebody like me in politics for so long, I would say I don't know him.
02:56What about a man on the street?
02:59Name recognition is important in politics.
03:06So the Chinese should wake up.
03:09Chua's remarks come as talk of Malay Party realignment has resurfaced,
03:14including proposals for possible cooperation involving UMNO, PAS,
03:18and ex-Basatu Deputy President Hamza Zainuddin's faction.
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