Saling curiga ancaman sebenar kerjasama BN-PN, kata penganalisis

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) apparently faces no real threat from a political partnership between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN), according to Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri, an analyst from Global Asia Consulting. Speaking to FMT, Sabri emphasized that genuine strong partnerships should not be threatened by the presence of additional political players, and the weaknesses of both BN and PN stem from mutual distrust.

While BN may benefit from PN's support in terms of the electoral strength, Umno might face questions about whether it helped to build a strong force that could challenge it. Sabri pointed out that PN faces a dilemma when it comes to working closely with BN, as it may either strengthen the electoral prospects or undermine its own identity that attracts voters.

UMNO's Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki cautioned that any party seeking cooperation with Umno must be wary of external influence. Sabri noted that genuine strong partnerships should not be threatened by the presence of additional political players, and the weaknesses of both BN and PN stem from mutual distrust.

Analyst Wong Chin Huat warned of a new threat to Umno, as Wawasan 2020 views itself as a potential replacement for Bersatu. Both Umno and Wawasan 2020 share ideological similarities, which could pose a challenge to Umno's dominance. In such a scenario, PAS would likely support Wawasan 2020 over Umno due to its weaker and more easily controllable nature.

Facing multiple parties competing for the same pool of voters, intense rivalry and distrust among each other has become the norm. While they are united by the external threat, Umno and PAS have often taken refuge in cultural symbols of conflict to unite the Malay voters. As more parties emerge, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to maintain a unifying narrative, as some parties tend to oppose each other.