𝗣𝗮𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝟴𝟬 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗮

There are 165 seats in the peninsula and Pakatan Harapan must strive to win at least 80 seats.

Since the 2013 general election, Pakatan had set the aim of winning 100 of the 165 seats. In 2008 and 2013, Pakatan won only 80 each time. In 2018, Pakatan won 98 seats in the peninsula.

To win 80 is feasible but Pakatan Harapan needs to go all out to trigger a surge of voters’ interest and consequently a high voter’s turnout.

In the current three-way split of Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional, no coalition is set to win a majority. Barisan Nasional insiders are confident of winning 70 seats while in the worst case scenario, Pakatan Harapan can still win at least 60 seats.

Winning 80 and above in the peninsula means Pakatan Harapan would have a decent chance to form the next government.

But most importantly, Pakatan Harapan will be able to deny a two-thirds majority in Parliament and hence have a say in any attempt to amend the Federal Constitution

To amend the Constitution, a two-thirds majority or 148 out of 222 votes are needed.

As the only coalition with a clear reformist agenda, Pakatan Harapan must ensure that whatever democratic gains in the last few years, including the recent Anti-Party Hopping law, would not suffer a reversal.

Beyond the 80 seat target, Pakatan Harapan must work hard to attempt the next level of target, that is to win 100 seats in the peninsula, in order to be a significant force in Malaysian politics.