COMMENT | Now that Umno decides to take the opposition bench, the ‘quickest’ but almost impossible option would be a Pakatan Harapan-Perikatan Nasional-Gabungan Parti Sarawak-Gabungan Rakyat Sabah grand coalition, and the more likely next option would be a PN-GPS-GRS minority government of 101 seats.

The survival of this minority coalition would hinge on GPS, the kingmaker with 23 seats, without whom, the next viable option would be a Harapan minority option of 82 seats.

If GPS can persuade PAS which has nearly twice the number of seats, 44, to not march on its hardline Islamisation agenda - from gambling and alcohol bans to Hudud punishments, garnished by ‘anti-infidel’ statement from its top leaders every now and then - then this minority government may...