PAS likely to let PN go dormant, says analyst
5 hours ago
Chia Wan Rou
Wong Chin Huat says the Islamic party could align with Reset, Pejuang and Berjasa while leaving out Umno and Bersatu
PAS may move away from PN to align with like-minded parties seen as being less problematic. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: PAS is expected to let Perikatan Nasional (PN) go dormant without formally dissolving it as cooperation with Umno and Bersatu is no longer viewed as a viable option, according to a political scientist.
Wong Chin Huat of Sunway University said PAS now appears ready to shift course and build a new coalition with the Reset movement led by Hamzah Zainudin, as well as Pejuang and Berjasa.
He said cooperation with Umno and Bersatu was impossible as the two parties were large enough to become significant rivals, likening the three-way dynamic to rival suitors.
“The advantage of Pejuang and Berjasa is that they are small and insignificant. As such, they are likely to accept whatever PAS offers in exchange for projecting an image of Malay-Muslim unity,” he told FMT.
Wong Chin Huat of Sunway University said PAS now appears ready to shift course and build a new coalition with the Reset movement led by Hamzah Zainudin, as well as Pejuang and Berjasa.
He said cooperation with Umno and Bersatu was impossible as the two parties were large enough to become significant rivals, likening the three-way dynamic to rival suitors.
“The advantage of Pejuang and Berjasa is that they are small and insignificant. As such, they are likely to accept whatever PAS offers in exchange for projecting an image of Malay-Muslim unity,” he told FMT.
Wong Chin Huat.
Wong added that such a coalition would also free PAS from negotiating seat allocations with Bersatu, while allowing its new allies to contest against Bersatu on their own terms.
He was commenting on remarks by PAS treasurer Iskandar Abdul Samad, who suggested that a coalition comprising PAS, Pejuang, Berjasa and Reset could provide the most stable platform to advance the Malay-Muslim agenda.
However, Iskandar said such cooperation would likely face attempts to undermine it, without elaborating further.
Azmil Tayeb of Universiti Sains Malaysia said that PAS sees itself as capable of operating independently, or alongside other parties or movements, having realised that losing Bersatu would not significantly affect it.
Wong added that such a coalition would also free PAS from negotiating seat allocations with Bersatu, while allowing its new allies to contest against Bersatu on their own terms.
He was commenting on remarks by PAS treasurer Iskandar Abdul Samad, who suggested that a coalition comprising PAS, Pejuang, Berjasa and Reset could provide the most stable platform to advance the Malay-Muslim agenda.
However, Iskandar said such cooperation would likely face attempts to undermine it, without elaborating further.
Azmil Tayeb of Universiti Sains Malaysia said that PAS sees itself as capable of operating independently, or alongside other parties or movements, having realised that losing Bersatu would not significantly affect it.
Azmil Tayeb.
He said this was evident during the last general election (GE15), when Bersatu was shown to be heavily dependent on PAS’s grassroots machinery to remain electorally competitive.
“It would resemble the GE14 model, where PAS worked with smaller parties like Berjasa to form the Gagasan Sejahtera coalition, yet still managed to win 18 parliamentary seats at the time,” he said.
Azmil also said Umno’s preference for contesting solo, overlapping traditional seats, and a complex political history between the parties would make any post-PN cooperation difficult.
“Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama), meanwhile, has a different ideology because its struggle is not rooted in Malay-Islam supremacy,” he said.
He said this was evident during the last general election (GE15), when Bersatu was shown to be heavily dependent on PAS’s grassroots machinery to remain electorally competitive.
“It would resemble the GE14 model, where PAS worked with smaller parties like Berjasa to form the Gagasan Sejahtera coalition, yet still managed to win 18 parliamentary seats at the time,” he said.
Azmil also said Umno’s preference for contesting solo, overlapping traditional seats, and a complex political history between the parties would make any post-PN cooperation difficult.
“Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama), meanwhile, has a different ideology because its struggle is not rooted in Malay-Islam supremacy,” he said.
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I wonder what will eventually happen to Mukhriz if his PEJUANG joins PN as a very junior partner. Poor Mukhriz, you may become a 'nobody' in comparison to your GREAT father - I blame Mahathir for being arrogant in bringing Mukhriz into politics quite late, in fact very late, believing he could still control AAB and Najib when they became PMs, BUT with both showing their preferred 'independence' from the self-deluded dictator.
Just reactivate the PAS UMNO alliance Muafakat Nasional, which still exists in theory but allowed to become dormant after the backdoor gomen was created in 2020 involving PAS, Bersatu, BN.
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