PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional has forged ahead in its electoral cooperation with Barisan Nasional for the Negeri Sembilan state election by repeatedly putting forward new ideas while BN has been left defining the limits of the partnership, say two experts.
Political scientist Sivamurugan Pandian of Universiti Sains Malaysia said BN had been left with drawing political boundaries and practising strategic ambiguity (by keeping the cooperation vague).
He said strategic ambiguity works only as a temporary strategy. If PN continues to dominate the public narrative while BN merely issues clarifications or denials, the political optics will increasingly favour PN, he added.
Wawasan president Hamzah Zainudin floated the “Perikatan Barisan Nasional” branding, while PN information chief Annuar Musa said the two coalitions would campaign on a single manifesto and had appointed representatives to coordinate it.
BN deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan said BN has no intention of forming a new grouping and would unveil its own manifesto which it did, while BN president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has described the cooperation as an electoral understanding rather than a formal political alliance.
Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said PN is simply trying to secure its place alongside what it believes will be the next state government. “So it’s a pre-emptive measure to demonstrate that they are part of the whole BN,” he told FMT.
BN, however, wants to preserve its own identity, Azmi said, adding that a joint manifesto would blur BN’s identity at a time when the coalition wants to remain the leading political force.
“I don’t think BN wanted to be part of the joint manifesto because there is no agreement in terms of cooperation yet,” he said.
A lopsided relationship
Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia sees the relationship as less about PN taking charge than about one side wanting the partnership more.
“It seems more lopsided, where PN seems to want this collaboration more than BN,” she told FMT.
She also questioned the proposed PBN branding, saying that putting “Perikatan” at the front would mean people end up calling it just that – something BN would not be pleased with.
Syaza said BN still appears unconvinced about taking the cooperation beyond Negeri Sembilan.
“BN is still very much unsure about this relationship. BN believes it can grow on its own, especially looking at Johor’s state election victory,” she said. “So that’s why they’ve been very reluctant and have been calling (the pact) an understanding.”
