Kedah Umno’s PAS-only approach driven by sense of threat, says analyst

An analyst claims that the Kedah Umno party's decision to negotiate solely with PAS is likely motivated by a sense of threat, following their failure to secure any seats in the recent state election. Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid of Universiti Sains Malaysia suggests that Umno might only have a chance of reclaiming the Bakar Arang and Sidam state seats previously held by PKR, as well as Kota Darul Aman, which is currently occupied by the DAP, if the principle of incumbency is upheld.

Despite Umno's leader Hamzah Zainudin's endorsement by Perikatan Nasional (PN), the analyst points out that Wawasan would likely demand to contest state seats in Kedah, at the very least those previously won by Bersatu.

Umno must acknowledge its current position in Kedah and nationwide, where it is no longer the top choice among Malay voters, according to Fauzi. The analyst urges Umno to stop acting as if it possesses the authority to dictate terms, particularly in negotiations with PAS. Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia also observes that Umno and Wawasan are competing for the same voter base, Malays who do not strictly support PAS.

Wawasan is expected to aim for the aforementioned seats and prioritize them as a PN component party, while Umno faces a significant challenge in persuading PAS to relinquish these seats in favor of Wawasan.

This situation could potentially create another rift within the PN coalition, as seat negotiations and the selection of coalition partners often serve as major points of contention. Syaza notes that the Muafakat Nasional coalition disintegrated when PAS opted to work with Bersatu over Umno. She questions whether PAS would be willing to accept Wawasan's decision if PAS favors Umno without considering Wawasan. This dilemma highlights the unresolved internal affairs and dynamics within PN, according to Syaza.

On Saturday, Kedah Umno information chief Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin announced that the state chapter would initiate talks with PAS regarding possible political cooperation, but would not negotiate with PN as a coalition. He attributed his disparaging comment about a certain party to Sanusi Nor, Kedah's menteri besar and PAS's election director.

Shaiful did not specify the party he was referring to but continued to criticize elected representatives who left Bersatu to join Wawasan. At the PAS muktamar, Sanusi referred to PAS as an "elephant" of a party and urged the Islamic party not to follow the lead of a smaller party, likening it to a "cat" that is just beginning its journey.