KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 23): Barisan Nasional (BN), whose numbers in the Dewan Rakyat is sought for the formation of the simple majority Federal Government, will see its 30 Members of Parliament (MPs) meet the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, as the hung Parliament extends for the fourth day.

The King will meet the MPs individually, after his meeting with the two largest political blocs Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) on Tuesday ended with no result as to who will be appointed as prime minister to form the government.

The meeting with the 30 BN MPs has been set by Istana Negara from 10.30am onwards on Wednesday (Nov 23). However, the coalition is said to be seeking another postponement from the palace, following its supreme council meeting on Tuesday night, according to news reports.

An earlier suggestion by the King for the two coalitions to form a unity government together, had been rejected by PN, its chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin confirmed on Tuesday.

PH has 82 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, followed by PN’s 73 seats. Both have yet to ascertain majority support from MPs, which brings BN back into the picture. 

BN had opted to remain as the Opposition, it said in a statement on Tuesday, although it is “open” to discuss to ensure a government can be formed. 

None of BN MPs have officially expressed support for PN or Muhyiddin, added the statement, signed by BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir.

“According to [PH chairman Datuk Seri] Anwar [Ibrahim], The King made it clear that he wanted proper ethnic group representation and regional representation,” said Dr Edmund Terence Gomez, former professor of political economy in the Faculty of Economics and Administration in University Malaya.

“GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) has said [that] it will leave it to the King to decide. The King preferred PN and PH to combine forces, but Muhyiddin said ‘no’. The presence of BN, in particular Umno, will thus allow a major Malay-based party to have a representation in the government,” Gomez opined.

When asked whether a unity government could remain stable, Gomez said a “strange” partnership between PN and PH will be difficult, but the good thing is that “coalition governments can have different voices” that represent different community groups.

“They have to find a common ground. We do know that the major issue is the economy, [and] the best thing to do is to sit down now and conceive [the right] public policies,” he added.

The issue as to which camp will get BN’s support had earlier put the coalition into crisis mode, with different MPs calling for the resignation of its chairman and Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi after the huge loss in the 15th general election (GE15).

PN’s Muhyiddin, in a press conference on Tuesday evening, reiterated that the coalition — made up of Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS), Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) — has statutory declarations from more than 112 MPs. This likely includes several MPs from BN as well, back-of-the-envelope calculation show.

Earlier on Sunday, several party leaders had openly said they support PN’s Muhyiddin, while other BN MPs voiced that they are against any collaboration with PH. This includes MCA president and Ayer Hitam MP Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, as well as Sembrong MP from Umno, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

That said, the splitting of the BN camp could still see the formation of a minority government as a last resort, said Dr Oh Ei Sun, senior fellow with Singapore’s Institute of International Affairs.

“It depends on [which camp] would surpass the threshold [of 112 MPs]. If not, then perhaps a minority government, given time to forge a majority,” Oh said.

In the case whereby all BN MPs abstain from supporting any coalition and remain as the Opposition, the King may also appoint a prime minister who will establish the minority government, said Dr Mazlan Ali from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

“[If the numbers split], the King may call MPs from other parties such as GPS, until one of them (Anwar or Muhyiddin) gets at least a simple majority to form the government,” Dr Mazlan said.

On the other hand, BN’s MP for Pengerang Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, in a series of tweets said that BN MPs have made an undertaking that they will cease to be a party member if they violate BN directives based on a series of documents signed ahead of their nominations as GE15 candidates.

As such, they will lose their seat in Parliament under the anti-party hopping law, Azalina argued.

Get our comprehensive GE15 coverage here.