Bersatu boleh hilang ruang Melayu jika gagal cari rakan, kata penganalisis

Analyst Syaza Shukri from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM) warns that Bersatu risks losing its influence among Malay voters if it fails to seek new allies for the 2016 general election, especially as Umno and PAS appear to be opening up more room for cooperation in certain states. She notes that teamwork with other parties could help lessen the competition and assist Bersatu, particularly in mixed areas.

According to her, Bersatu is already small and increasingly overshadowed by Muhyiddin Yassin, so it is not likely to disintegrate. She also believes that it is not difficult to reach agreements within Bersatu.

Meanwhile, Mazlan Ali from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia points out that cooperation between Umno and PAS could pose a challenge to other Malay parties as it may unite the support of those communities. He states that the results of the PRN Johor and Negeri Sembilan elections show the impact of competition among parties on Bersatu, as some Malay voters have shifted their support to other parties, making it difficult for Bersatu to secure a sufficient majority.

He believes that Bersatu could gain an advantage if it successfully forms alliances with other parties, depending on the strength of the chosen allies and the distribution of seats. According to him, Bersatu would stand to benefit indirectly if it can create and maintain cooperation and seat allocation that align with its position.