KUALA LUMPUR: The opposition's rejection of the prime minister's offers that were made in exchange for bipartisan support would only hurt their image in the public eye, an expert said.
Political analyst Associate Professor Dr Azmi Hassan said the opposition was "trapped" in the middle, having to decide between striking when the iron is hot, and accepting the olive branch "in the name of humanity".
"On paper, this (bipartisanship) is ideal. Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin cited the pandemic as grounds for the government and the opposition to work together.
"If the opposition opposes this olive branch, then the people will perceive them as not interested in helping the government (during the pandemic), but if they pick it up, it becomes a lifeline for the Perikatan Nasional government.
"The opposition are basically trapped in the middle, and Muhyiddin has the upper hand," he said.
Azmi said however, it would not make sense strategically for the opposition to accept the offer for bipartisan support, as the government was at its weakest position.
He said while some may agree to accept the hand, others may see it as the perfect opportunity to bring down the government.
Muhyiddin's announcement on Friday, he added, was also in line with DAP National Publicity Secretary Tony Pua's statement, who warned that "kleptocrats" would return if the PN government fell.
"This plays very well with DAP, but not PKR, which will need Umno's support if it wants to be in the driving seat of the government."
In his address aired on television, Muhyiddin has expressed willingness to work with parties out of the PN coalition, following a scheduled vote of confidence in Parliament by Sept 7.
Among others, the prime minister had offered ministerial perks to be accorded to the opposition leader and guaranteed to table a bill which would limit a prime minister's post to two terms, in exchange for the opposition support to ensure his continuity as the country's top executive.