Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin’s reported pledge to support the Urban Renewal Authority Bill will be put to the test, analysts say, with Perikatan Nasional partner PAS increasingly keen on taking the opposite stand.
James Chin of the University of Tasmania said the bill has become a political tool for PAS to rally Malay sentiment.
“This is a highly emotive issue, especially among Malays whose land is going to be redeveloped, so the facts do not matter.
“Whether the bill is good or bad is not going to matter. It is being politicised,” he told FMT.
Chin said PAS had identified the issue as being very effective against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government.
“The bill is led by a Chinese minister, so they can play the racial game,” he said.
Chin said PAS would use it…