Hati-hati timbang kerjasama dengan PH yang ‘lemah’, Bersatu diberitahu

Urimai P Ramasamy, the chairperson of the Reformasi Party (PKR), suggested that Bersatu should be cautious when considering political cooperation with Pakatan Harapan (PH) for the Melaka PRN (Primary Run-off Election). She emphasized that this type of alliance is currently at one of its weakest points politically. The former Deputy Chief Minister of Penang stated that Bersatu should instead use PRN as a testbed for broader political cooperation ahead of the 2016 General Election (PRU16).

Ramasamy noted that the People's Justice Party (PKR), Democratic Action Party (DAP), and Amanah are all experiencing a decline in political support, while PKR and DAP have lost a significant portion of their non-Malay support. She pointed out that DAP is no longer able to rely on the predictable support of the Chinese community.

According to her, Bersatu alone cannot determine the outcome in Melaka, but a broader coalition might help the party avoid a three-cornered contest and bring together Malay and non-Malay voters. Therefore, Melaka should be viewed as a political testing ground, providing Bersatu with an opportunity to develop, test, and maintain a broader political formula ahead of PRU16.

Bersatu, part of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, has confirmed that it will contest in the Melaka PRN and is expected to use its own logo in conjunction with PAS, which leads the alliance. The chief secretary of Bersatu, Azmin Ali, also said that the party is willing to hold talks about a pre-election coalition with other parties, despite previously rejecting such cooperation.

PAS ended its political cooperation with Bersatu in June, further escalating tensions within the PN coalition. In the Melaka PRN on August 1, PAS led the PN in forming a pre-election alliance with Barisan Nasional (BN), while Bersatu contested alone and failed to win any of the 24 seats contested. Since then, Bersatu has been linked to speculation about the possibility of forming a coalition with PH, particularly following the leader of the party's Melaka faction hosting a dinner party in the previous month.

Ramasamy stated that Muhyiddin Yassin, the president of Bersatu, should take the initiative to build a broader alliance capable of challenging the combined strength of BN and PAS. However, she stressed that this goal should not be limited to pre-election discussions about the allocation of seats in Melaka, but rather should focus on creating alternative political rules in the run-up to PRU16.

If Bersatu wants to remain relevant, it must move beyond merely defending its existing political territory and prove that it can provide leadership to a broader political alliance.