‘Abang besar’ yang kian malap, kembali melukut di tepi gantang PAS

Umno, the once-dominant Malay political party, appears to be continuously lagging behind compared to PAS. Since its humiliating defeat in PRU14, the party has been trapped in a deep political malaise, failing to craft effective strategies. Instead of devising a robust approach, Umno's leadership seems to be paralyzed by fear, unsure whether to continue tagging along with Pakatan Harapan (PH) in a fragile United Government, challenge the path solo, or return to the rigid embrace of PAS.

This delusional two-pronged approach of trying to play both sides, catering to different forums at the state and federal levels, is a weak political gimmick that ultimately demoralizes everyone, especially PAS. Meanwhile, Umno's relations with PH under the existing leadership are deteriorating rapidly. Umno's actions, seemingly signaling favoritism towards PAS—a party consistently labeling PH as secular and liberal—further erode the remaining fragile trust among their joint allies today.

The harsh truth is that this is a desperate fight for survival and toxicity. After nearly six decades of false glory, Umno still dares to claim itself as the big brother in Malay politics. The reality is, Umno needs to face the hard truth that PAS now holds the real political card. With a larger number of parliamentary seats and absolute control in four states (Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, and Perlis), PAS has effectively robbed Umno of its leadership throne.

Political analysts clearly see the anxiety of Umno's leadership, recognizing that any partnership with this Islamist faction would only make Umno a junior and powerless partner. History has repeatedly proven that when two major egos contend for Malay political influence, bloody political conflicts are unavoidable. Is this Umno's short memory?

Umno's failure to ratify the National Accord in 2019 should serve as a constant reminder. PAS is not afraid to challenge Umno from behind when secretly collaborating with Bersatu to give birth to Perikatan Nasional (PN) in 2020. Even Umno's President Zahid Hamidi openly labels this act as betrayal, and the party's core continues to argue that PAS carries a DNA of betrayal.

So, returning to the same trap is a self-murder in politics. Any attempt at reuniting will face an extremely grim reality. PAS will never give in to the majority Malay seats currently in their hands. Instead, PAS will pressure Umno to contest in high-risk and shifting areas, ensuring a diminished Umno's electoral influence. Moreover, PAS's winged Pemuda members and their top leaders no longer support their dream of seeing a PAS prime minister.

They will not cede the country's number one seat to a weakened and dominant Umno. The tradition of Umno's lifelong ability to carve a vote gap through non-Malay support will be lost if they return to the strong Islamic party. The alarming concern is already spreading at the state level. In Perak and Pahang, only Umno's deputy minister positions can be secured through gratitude and favor towards PH—not because Umno leads by a genuine majority.

Inviting PAS back to these states signals an aggressive takeover. PAS will quickly use the existing momentum to snatch regional dominance and eventually marginalize Umno to the point of irrelevance. PAS is acutely aware that they no longer need Umno; the most realistic path to absolute power remains tightly coupled with their own Malay-Islam framework.

This situation leaves Umno stranded at a crossroads of history they forged themselves. Moving solo in today's fragmented political landscape doesn't promise any guarantee for survival. However, returning to the embrace of PAS would mean total defeat to the green wave that has already captured the minds of a majority of Malay-Muslim voters.

If Umno wishes to continue breathing, it must urgently rise from the dreams of its historical past. It can no longer claim the title of the big brother based on past glories. It must adapt to the harsh new reality or prepare to sink further into Malaysia's forgotten history. This article reflects the writer's opinion and does not necessarily represent FMT.