PH has few options to widen ‘big tent’, say analysts
They say there are few alternatives to BN that can match its ability to attract Malay voters.
Pakatan Harapan's (PH) efforts to broaden its "big tent" are constrained, analysts contend, as few political allies can replicate Barisan Nasional's (BN) prowess in appealing to Malay voters. Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara emphasized PH's reliance on Umno, recognising the party's ongoing capacity to engage Malay voters, which PH currently struggles to achieve independently.
Faiz Fadzil's suggestion for PH to widen its "big tent" could be interpreted as a signal to Umno of potential alternatives, though Azmi cautioned these options remained limited. Bersatu, though a possible partner, has yet to demonstrate the same strength in drawing Malay voters as Umno or BN, as evidenced by its performance in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.
Additionally, Faiz had previously advocated for PH to seek new political partners if the political dynamics between Umno and PN shifted. BN and PH, alongside several other parties, established a unity government following the 15th general election, resulting in a hung Parliament, while PN assumed the role of opposition. The two coalitions also collaborated in six state elections in 2023 and subsequent by-elections.
However, BN opted to operate independently in the Johor state election on July 11 and subsequently reached an agreement with PN for the August 1 Negeri Sembilan election. Syaza Shukri of Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia questioned the effectiveness of Faiz's proposal in determining which parties could genuinely bolster PH.
She suggested that cooperation with smaller parties, such as Muda and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), might not suffice to enhance PH's competitiveness. "Incorporating Bersatu into the coalition could face resistance from its supporters," she added. Nonetheless, Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia believed that PH still possessed the capacity to expand its cooperation with other Malay parties to augment its support among Malay voters.
He noted that PH did not have to depend solely on Umno and could consider collaborating with Bersatu, Putra, or Berjasa. "Such cooperation would not necessarily undermine PH's identity, as the coalition previously engaged in an alliance with Bersatu during the 2018 general election to form the federal government," he concluded.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
