Wawasan’s polls victory built on borrowed strength, say analysts

Political analysts have suggested that Wawasan's strong showing in Negeri Sembilan's recent elections was largely due to the backing of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition and PAS endorsement, rather than the party's own grassroots strength. Hamzah Zainudin's new party secured three out of four seats it contested, a result that could bolster Hamzah's standing within PN.

Political scientist Awang Azman Pawi from Universiti Malaya pointed to Gemas, one of the constituencies where Wawasan performed well, as an example where the party's success stemmed from a mix of incumbency, PN's platform, and the lack of a Barisan Nasional (BN) challenger. He contrasted this with Mambau, where Wawasan's candidate lagged significantly behind the Democratic Action Party (DAP), indicating that the party still lacks substantial independent support among urban Chinese and Indian voters.

Awang Azman noted that Wawasan contested under the PN banner, benefited from PAS endorsement, avoided BN competition, and relied heavily on existing BN and PAS networks. This led to the party demonstrating electoral usefulness but not yet building an independent grassroots machinery comparable to PAS or Umno. Similarly, Mazlan Ali from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia emphasized that Wawasan's candidates wouldn't have performed as well without PAS support and the broader PN machinery.

The political analysts agree that Wawasan's relationship with PAS and its position within PN as a crucial component have been key to its electoral successes. While Wawasan's performance in Negeri Sembilan may strengthen its claim to take over Bersatu's position as the principal non-Islamic partner to PAS, both Awang Azman and Mazlan Ali believe that the party will remain a "more cooperative junior partner" rather than an equal political force.

Furthermore, the analysts suggest that Bersatu's poor performance could force the party out of PN or sideline it, as it no longer appears to have electoral support within the coalition. They also predict that seats previously contested by Bersatu might be handed over to Wawasan in future elections. Awang Azman believes coordinated candidacies can consolidate Malay votes, weaken Bersatu, and reduce multi-cornered contests.

However, he warns that Wawasan cannot expect a large share of seats solely based on its Negeri Sembilan performance. He stresses that the party needs to prove it can develop branches, recruit credible candidates, and deliver votes without relying completely on PAS and BN.