Real test for BN-PN lies in PAS states, says analyst

A political analyst has cautioned that the Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliances should not become complacent following their landslide victory in the recent Negeri Sembilan election. Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia pointed out that the real litmus test for the alliance will be in the states dominated by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), namely Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, and Perlis.

BN currently holds only two out of the 15 seats in the Kelantan state assembly, and has no presence in the other three states. Mazlan warned that the actual challenge lies in whether PAS will be willing to share seats and if BN will be content with the allocated number of seats in these PAS strongholds. The analyst emphasized that the BN-PN cooperation's stability hinges on seat allocations, suggesting that neither coalition can rely on the current understanding until the 16th general election.

Syahruddin Awang Ahmad of Universiti Malaysia Sabah echoed similar sentiments, advising the Perikatan Nasional (PN) to anticipate political realignments if the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) shifts course following federal-level negotiations. He suggested that BN's willingness to continue cooperation with PN in future state elections or the 16th general election could be contingent upon the outcome of those negotiations.

The analyst also noted that the victory in Negeri Sembilan could bolster PN's confidence, potentially leading to a "bandwagon effect" where success in one state fuels expectations of similar outcomes in others. However, he cautioned that such electoral momentum, while encouraging, is not guaranteed to persist and could either intensify or wane depending on evolving political circumstances.