COMMENT | Interim government? Unity government? Mageran?

COMMENT | As the political stalemate prolongs and a constitutional crisis brews after the royal rebuke of the government, more discussions about government change are taking place in the country.

Umno leaders yesterday raised the idea of “an interim government with only three mandates”: health, economy, and the 15th general election (GE15). Meanwhile, other groups continue to deliberate on “unity government” and alternative governance authorities modelled on the National Operations Council (Mageran) as seen in 1969-1971.

All these ideas deserve serious examination and consideration. Perhaps we can begin with some “how” questions on each of these alternatives:

• How more effective will it be than the current government?
• How more stable will it be than the current government?
• How long should it last?
• How and by whom will it be backed, especially in the event of public discontent?

Interim government

It should be noted that the Federal Constitution...