Arya News - A Sin Chew Daily commentary speculates that Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is the leading contender to become Malaysia’s next prime minister, citing Umno’s resurgence and his strengthened position within Malay politics.
KUALA LUMPUR – The topic is “Who will be the next Prime Minister?”, which means who stands the highest chance, rather than who should be the next Prime Minister.
To be clear from the start, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is absent from this list.
1. Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
He takes the number one spot on the list, leading the pack by a wide margin. Even if people are unhappy about it, they just have to hold their tongues for now.
A few months ago, wasn’t there a poll report indicating that Anwar had the highest support rating while Zahid ranked at the very bottom?
If that poll were looked at today, its most appropriate destination would be the trash bin.
First, poll numbers alone are not enough to determine someone’s chances of becoming Prime Minister.
Second, months later, Anwar’s image has plunged directly downward, while Zahid’s image in Malay society has soared straight up into the sky like a helicopter.
Barisan Nasional’s (BN) overwhelming victories in the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections not only boosted UMNO’s morale but also brought UMNO back to the very front of the political mainstream.
This represents a successful shift in direction by Zahid. His concept of “Rumah Bangsa” has become the foundation for grand Malay political unity.
Furthermore, his complete split with Pakatan Harapan (PH) made Malay society feel that Umno has regained its autonomy, is no longer manipulated by PH, and has cut ties with the DAP, thereby winning back Malay support.
Umno’s cooperation with PAS has been almost seamless so far, yielding not only major electoral victories but also wide acclaim in Malay society.
Zahid is in no hurry to overthrow the Unity Government, repeatedly offering assurances that he will not orchestrate another “Sheraton Move.” This keeps his relationship with Anwar from reaching a breaking point and temporarily maintains political stability.
Even members of the public who oppose him must quietly thank him for preserving the life of the Unity Government.
Within the party, he has virtually no rivals.
The olive branches he extended led figures like Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Khairy Jamaludin to return obediently, eliminating internal dissent.
Moreover, with party elections postponed until after the next General Election, his position as president has an extra layer of insurance, eliminating even the possibility of an unexpected overturn.
In the last general election, UMNO mainly lost seats to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia. Given Bersatu’s current decline, it can no longer compete with Umno.
Leading BN, it will not be difficult for Zahid to win over 50 seats, and reaching over 60 seats is well within reach. Once that target is met, BN will essentially be the largest party nationwide, allowing Zahid to enter the palace to seek permission to form a cabinet.
As for those 47 charges, following the application by the Madani government’s Attorney General’s Chambers, he was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) and subsequently no further action (NFA) — for which credit must be given to the protection of the Madani administration.
2. Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar
The person who poses the biggest threat to Zahid and ranks high on the list is Terengganu Menteri Besar Samsuri from PAS.
For no other reason than the fact that he is the leader of Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Should PN’s parliamentary seats exceed BN’s, Samsuri becomes the natural—though not guaranteed—candidate for Prime Minister.
PAS currently holds 43 seats. If Parti Wawasan Negara (Wawasan) can replace Bersatu, PN could push toward 70 seats to become the largest coalition.
However, this possibility is not very high. PN is facing a revitalised Umno, not the ailing Umno of the past, and the strength of Wawasan does not match Bersatu at its peak. Whether in seat negotiations or direct head-to-head battles, PN does not hold the advantage over BN.
PN also suffers from another disadvantage: even if its seat count exceeds BN’s, its chances of winning over other parties to form a coalition government are lower than BN’s.
Given a choice, Sarawak and Sabah parties would prioritise BN, let alone PH.
Although Samsuri ranks second on the list, his chances are not as high as Zahid’s.
3. Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani
If Zahid were to unexpectedly fall out of the race, Umno would need to present an alternative candidate. That person is likely to be vice-president Johari, rather than deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
Johari enjoys high prestige among Umno’s grassroots and has his own faction at the top tier. As the Malay population becomes increasingly urbanised, a future Prime Minister will tend to reflect this demographic shift.
Johari is one of the very few Umno leaders capable of winning in urban constituencies; he is the sole BN MP in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, having won three consecutive terms in Titiwangsa while PH could only watch and sigh.
His competence and track record also stand out among the ministers, giving his views extra weight in Cabinet discussions. After becoming the Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI), his influence reached an even higher level.
If BN gets to form the government and Zahid is not accepted by the palace, this will be Johari’s opportunity.
4. Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan
As the Deputy President of Umno, he was originally a favourable option. However, his lack of broad grassroots support within Umno remains his biggest obstacle.
On top of that, serving as Foreign Minister has gradually distanced him from domestic politics—one wonders if this was part of Zahid’s calculated planning.
The electoral victory in Negeri Sembilan boosted his prestige, but the failure of his supported candidate, Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias, to become the Menteri Besar was a setback for him.
Similarly, if Zahid is not accepted by the palace, Mohamad could serve as a compromise candidate.
This list contains only four candidates; others are not under consideration.
If reasons must be given: Anwar is excluded because he cannot win the general election.
Khairy has not fully fledged his wings and is still living under someone else’s roof.
Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli belongs to a distant future, perhaps to be left to the next generation.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin missed his chance, and it will never come back.
Tan Sri Hadi Awang? You must be joking—even PAS wouldn’t dare nominate him!