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

Urimai P Ramasamy, president of the Penang state of the PKR party, has suggested that Bersatu should take the initiative to form a broader alliance capable of challenging the National Front (BN) and PAS coalition. Speaking in a statement, Ramasamy warned that the current political partnership is at one of the weakest points in terms of politics. She advised that Bersatu should instead view the PRN (Melaka) as a field to test larger political cooperation ahead of the 2016 general election.

Ramasamy noted that PKR, DAP, and Amanah all face a decline in political support, while PKR and DAP have lost much of their non-Malay backing. She also pointed out that DAP can no longer take for granted Chinese community support as a certainty. According to her, Bersatu alone cannot determine the outcome in Melaka, but a wider coalition partnership could help it avoid three-way elections and unite Malay and non-Malay voters.

Therefore, Melaka should be considered a political testing ground, a platform for Bersatu to develop, test, and maintain a broader political formula as it prepares for the 2016 election. Bersatu, a member of the National Unity (PN) coalition, has confirmed its participation in the PRN Melaka and is expected to use its own logo alongside PAS, which leads the coalition.

Bersatu Deputy General Secretary Azmin Ali also stated that the party is willing to hold discussions on electoral cooperation with other parties, even though it previously rejected such collaboration. PAS ended its political cooperation with Bersatu in June, further straining relations within the PN coalition.

In the August 1, 2016 PRN Negeri Sembilan, PAS led the PN coalition in forming an electoral partnership 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 partnership with PH, especially after its Melaka party head organized a dinner in the previous month.

Ramasamy suggested that for Bersatu to remain relevant, it must move beyond merely defending its existing political territory. It needs to prove it can provide leadership to a broader political alliance.