Bersatu risks becoming ‘another Pejuang’ without PAS, say analysts
PETALING JAYA: Bersatu, without access to PAS’s election machinery and grassroots network, risks being relegated to a minor Malay party, analysts warn, as the Islamic party reconsiders ties with its Perikatan Nasional ally.
Syaza Shukri of the International Islamic University Malaysia said Bersatu’s success in securing 31 parliamentary seats in the 2022 general election (GE15) was largely due to PAS’s organisational strength and voter base.
“Without PAS, Bersatu is really nobody,” she told FMT.
She cautioned that Bersatu could easily slip into irrelevance if the partnership is severed.
“Without PAS, Bersatu could become just another small Malay party, maybe following the path of Pejuang,” she said, referring to the party founded by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2020 and now led by his son, Mukhriz.
Two years later, Pejuang led the Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) coalition at GE15, contesting for 125 parliamentary seats. However, GTA suffered a crushing defeat, with every one of its candidates, including Mahathir, losing their deposits after failing to secure the minimum vote threshold.
Universiti Malaya’s Awang Azman Pawi said PAS has effectively become the operational backbone of PN, particularly in rural and semi-urban Malay constituencies.
He said Bersatu would struggle to defend its seats without PAS’s vast network of loyal volunteers and grassroots machinery.
Awang Azman said the Islamic party holds a deeper ideological influence among Malay voters compared to Bersatu, having been established long before Bersatu, which broke away from Umno 10 years ago.
“More fundamentally, Bersatu could lose credibility among conservative Malays who increasingly see PAS as the coalition’s ideological anchor rather than Bersatu.
“Without PAS, Bersatu risks being seen as an elite Malay party without strong grassroots presence,” Awang Azman said.
He said the latest dispute between PAS and Bersatu was not merely about personality clashes or short-term tensions, but reflected a deeper shift in PN’s power structure.
“PAS now wants to become the dominant force politically, not just a supporting partner in PN.”
Last Friday, Hadi said PAS may contest the next general election (GE16) without Bersatu following a series of actions that his party disagreed with.
He cited several issues that strained ties between the two parties, including the move to unseat the Perlis chief minister, alleged interference in appointments involving Kedah and Kelantan, and Bersatu’s opposition to admitting new Malay-Muslim parties into PN.
Hadi also criticised Bersatu for demanding a disproportionate share of seats despite its weak grassroots machinery, pointing out that much of the groundwork in previous elections had been carried out by PAS volunteers.
In response, Bersatu expressed regret over Hadi’s remarks, saying all major PN decisions should be decided via consensus by the coalition’s Supreme Council.
Bersatu co-founded PN with PAS in 2020 and led the coalition until Jan 1, when Muhyiddin Yassin stepped down as chairman. The role was later assumed by PAS vice-president Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar on Feb 22.
A turning point, a relationship beyond repair?
Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said Hadi’s recent statement marked a turning point in PN, with criticism previously circulating only within PAS’s rank and file now being voiced openly by the party president himself.
“It will be very difficult to repair the relationship,” he said.
Azmi said GE16 will expose just how dependent Bersatu has been on PAS, noting that the Islamic party’s machinery had been central to Bersatu’s previous electoral successes .
“Without PAS, Bersatu candidates whether, incumbents or newcomers, will face a very hard time in GE16.”
المصدر: Free Malaysia Today