PETALING JAYA: Bersatu needs to prepare to contest the upcoming Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections under its own logo with its status in Perikatan Nasional currently in limbo, says an analyst.
Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad, of Global Asia Consulting, pointed out that PN was currently in PAS’s control, especially since the letter of appointment for candidates must be signed by the coalition’s chairman, Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, a PAS vice-president.
With PAS ending its political cooperation with Bersatu, Zaharuddin said, it would be illogical for the Islamic party to allow Bersatu candidates to stand on PN’s ticket.
“If PAS doesn’t give way, Bersatu will have no choice but to contest under its own logo. Doing so will test whether voters still see Bersatu as a relevant entity, rather than a party that’s just riding on the PN brand,” he told FMT.
Bersatu has never contested in an election under its own banner since its formation in 2016. In the 2018 general election, it contested as a Pakatan Harapan component on a PKR ticket, before using the PN logo in the 2022 nationwide polls.
Zaharuddin said the presence of Samsuri and PAS supremo Abdul Hadi Awang at former Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin’s Reset convention later today will add to speculation that Hamzah’s band of MPs would soon be admitted into PN.
He said this would only further alienate the Muhyiddin Yassin-led Bersatu within the opposition coalition.
On Wednesday, Negeri Sembilan Bersatu chief Hanifah Abu Bakar said the party intends to contest the Aug 1 state election under PN’s banner.
PAS ended its political cooperation with Bersatu on Monday but both remain components of the coalition. Yesterday, Hadi said PAS cannot remove Bersatu from PN unilaterally and that it must be agreed by the majority of component parties.
The other two PN components are Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party.
Azmi Hassan, of Akademi Nusantara, said Hanifah’s statement showed that Bersatu lacked confidence in its own brand and machinery.
PAS, on the other hand, would have no qualms contesting under its iconic moon logo since it is well-known, he said.
