Kuala Lampur, July 22 -- Calls to dismiss Umno ministers or politically appointed members of government-linked companies (GLCs) whenever cooperation between elements of Umno and PAS becomes a subject of public debate may sound decisive, but they are unlikely to be practical. Coalition governments are built on compromise, not constant purges.

Removing office holders at every sign of political disagreement could weaken the stability of the administration more than it strengthens it.

The more sustainable strategy is not to sack individuals but to reduce the perceived political incentives for any future electoral cooperation between Umno and PAS.

In other words, the objective should be to sap the enthusiasm for such an arrangement by demon...