Commenting on a suggestion that PH invite all opposition parties to join the coalition, Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs told FMT he did not see that happening as long as Anwar remained in his position as opposition leader.

“Anwar has to step down because his appeal as a leader is waning,” he said.

Oh was commenting on a statement from Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah, Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh and Wanita PH deputy chief Raj Munni Sabu in which they suggested that the coalition invite all opposition parties to join the pact.

The three noted that 105 MPs backed Anwar as prime minister after Muhyiddin Yassin stepped down last week and said PH needed to maintain and strengthen the support it had from opposition parties currently not affiliated with it.

“In this regard, we recommend that PH immediately send official invitations to all opposition parties – Warisan, Muda, Pejuang, Upko and PSB – to join PH,” they said in a statement.

Oh said it was a good idea for the opposition parties to form a united front but added that he believed it would be hard to persuade some parties to accept the invitation. He mentioned Warisan and Pejuang in particular.

“Warisan would definitely prefer its president, Shafie Apdal, to lead PH while Pejuang chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad is adamant that Anwar should not be prime minister,” he said.

Academic Azmi Hassan had a similar opinion, saying he did not believe Warisan, Muda and Pejuang would want Anwar as candidate for prime minister.

He said that smaller opposition parties might also reject the invitation because they were not supportive of Anwar as PH leader.