Prof Hoo Kee Ping also said Sabah and Sarawak could not exit Malaysia that easily even if they wanted to over this same issue.
“The state governments are controlled by the Federal Government. Barisan Nasional is expected to get stronger if Umno and PAS decide to cooperate formally.
“If the state governments approve any move to leave Malaysia, then it will need a United Nations’ referendum to formalise this.”
However, Hoo told FMT it was almost impossible for Sabah and Sarawak to leave Malaysia due to Umno’s influence in both the states.
Over the weekend, United Sabah People’s Party President Joseph Kurup had cautioned Putrajaya that Sabahans and Sarawakians may demand to split from Peninsular Malaysia if the proposed amendments to Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 are passed in Parliament.
Kurup, a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of national unity, said the Bill risked dividing East and West Malaysia and called for its withdrawal.
However, Hoo said Kurup might not be able to mobilise the separation as Umno has a stronghold, especially in Sabah.
“Sabahans are generally happy with the development taking place in the state.”
He further added that the threat by other BN component parties, MCA, MIC and Gerakan, to quit their Cabinet positions would not affect Umno.
Umno knows 90% of the Chinese do not support MCA. The same goes for MIC as the majority of Indians do not support the party, he pointed out.
“The BN component parties are almost irrelevant in the final equation.”
Hoo was responding to the threats from MIC President S Subramaniam and Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai to quit the Cabinet if hudud, the Islamic criminal law, is implemented.
Hoo went on to point out that Umno is now working closely with PAS and would be able to gain Malay support and a bigger mandate in the coming general election.
“Umno never had the intention of implementing hudud in Malaysia.
“But it is the only way for them to survive after failing to get support from the Chinese.”
The government expedited the private member’s bill, called Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Bill 2016, proposed by PAS President Hadi Awang in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday.
It seeks to enhance the powers of the shariah courts and Hadi hopes to use the amended act to bring to fruition his long-intended vision of having hudud law in Kelantan.