My Take | Malaysia’s ‘Dubai Move’ shows unity government faces more political drama, intrigue in 2024
- The recent ‘Dubai Move’ allegations are reminiscent of the politically fluid pandemic years, which saw unprecedented midterm changes for the government
- PM Anwar Ibrahim’s political opponents have also been hauled up for questioning over alleged corruption, amid rumblings a state election could be called later this year
The Perikatan Nasional (PN) opposition bloc, along with two senior government MPs said to be co-conspirators, denied there was ever such a plot. PN leaders, however, swiftly added that there was nothing unconstitutional about bringing down a government by way of parliamentary numbers.
The whole situation feels a lot like a tired retread of the politically fluid pandemic years, which saw unprecedented midterm changes to the prime minister not once, but twice, before the 2022 general election.
It started with 2020’s “Sheraton Move”, in which a group of MPs caused the downfall of the Pakatan Harapan coalition government by switching parties, only for the following PN administration to collapse in 2021 due to even more political instability and shifting allegiances.