Tread carefully in working with ‘weak’ PH, Bersatu told

Bersatu, a component of Perikatan Nasional (PN), has received speculation about a potential alliance with Pakatan Harapan (PH), following dinner meetings between leaders of the two groups in Melaka. Urimai chairman P Ramasamy has advised Bersatu to proceed with caution before engaging in any political cooperation with PH, as the coalition is currently in a delicate position.

He suggested that Bersatu should utilize the Melaka state election as a trial run for broader political cooperation in the lead-up to the 16th general election (GE16).

Ramasamy pointed out that the PKR, DAP, and Amanah parties have experienced a decline in political support, with PKR and DAP losing a significant portion of their non-Malay backing. He emphasized that Bersatu cannot single-handedly dictate the outcome in Melaka, but that wider electoral collaboration could aid the party in avoiding divisive three-way contests and consolidating votes from both Malay and non-Malay communities.

According to Ramasamy, Bersatu must develop a more comprehensive political formula in preparation for GE16, rather than just concentrating on securing seats in the current state election.

The Melaka Bersatu chapter has already stated that it will participate in the state election and will utilize its own logo, despite a recent rift with PAS, which currently leads the PN coalition. Azmin Ali, the Bersatu secretary-general, confirmed that the party is open to discussing electoral pacts with other parties, even though it had previously dismissed the idea. PAS ended its political partnership with Bersatu in June, further exacerbating tensions within the PN coalition.

Following the August 1 Negeri Sembilan election, where PN, led by PAS, joined forces with Barisan Nasional (BN), Bersatu contested alone and failed to secure any of the 24 seats contested. In light of these recent events, Ramasamy urged Bersatu President Muhyiddin Yassin to take the lead in forming a broader coalition capable of challenging the combined strength of BN and PAS.

However, he stressed that the goal should not be limited to negotiating seats for the Melaka polls, but should instead focus on crafting an alternative political arrangement ahead of GE16.