PETALING JAYA: PAS’s decision to sever ties with Bersatu shows that Perikatan Nasional (PN) is unable to present itself as a convincing option ahead of the 16th general election (GE16), says an analyst.
Afifi Abdul Razak of Universiti Utara Malaysia said the breakdown in the PAS-Bersatu relationship had tarnished the narrative of Malay-Muslim unity – one of PN’s main appeals to voters.
He said the split was a symptom of a deeper crisis in post-GE15 Malay politics: the absence of a truly united, disciplined, and principled Malay-Muslim bloc as an alternative to the unity government
“The biggest losers are not PAS, nor PN as a whole, but Malay voters who yearn for a strong and stable opposition because PN can no longer present itself as a cohesive and convincing bloc ahead of GE16,” he told FMT.
“Although a more focused and disciplined PAS may emerge stronger on its own without having to ‘carry the burden’ of Bersatu, PN, as an opposition coalition, has already fractured.
“GE16 will reveal just how severe that fracture is.”
Another analyst, Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri of Global Asia Consulting, said while PAS could now position itself as PN’s cornerstone, doing so would cause the coalition to resemble a “PAS-plus” alliance rather than a multi-party coalition.
“A weakened Bersatu will create divisions, particularly in mixed states such as Selangor and Johor. Without PAS, it no longer has the political oxygen to survive,” he said.
He did not rule out the possibility that the PAS-Bersatu split could create an opportunity for Umno to regain the support of Malay voters who are disappointed with Bersatu and remain sceptical of PAS.
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang announced last night that his party had decided to cut ties with Bersatu. He said PAS would form a new political pact to face the upcoming state elections and the next general election with the goal of “uniting the ummah”.
This came nearly three weeks after Hadi said PAS was reassessing its ties with Bersatu and might contest GE16 without Muhyiddin Yassin’s party.
In a May 22 press conference, Hadi said that several issues had strained ties between the parties, including the move to unseat the Perlis menteri besar, alleged interference in appointments involving Kedah and Kelantan, and Bersatu’s opposition to admitting new Malay-Muslim parties into PN.
Muhyiddin then sent a letter to PAS leaders rebuffing Hadi’s allegations and justifying his party’s actions on the issues raised by the PAS president.
PAS central committee member Shahidan Kassim said the Islamic party would remain a PN component for now, while PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari has signalled that his party and Bersatu can no longer share the same platform in PN.
Besides PAS and Bersatu, PN, the coalition jointly formed by Bersatu and PAS in 2020, comprises Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party.
