PAS jadi penentu tuntutan kerusi Wawasan di Melaka, kata penganalisis

Analysts predict PAS will play a crucial role in determining the fate of the Wawasan party's claims for retaining the Sungai Udang and Bemban seats in the upcoming Melaka PRN election. Tawfik Yaakub, a professor from Universiti Malaya, believes PAS may adopt a pragmatic approach by prioritizing cooperation with Umno and BN, as acknowledged by PAS President Hadi Awang.

Hadi stated that PAS accepts the reality that BN will continue to dominate Melaka within the political cooperation framework between the two parties in the lead-up to PRN. The analyst views PAS as more willing to prioritize cooperation and surrender to Umno-BN's decision to contest the two seats rather than being equally divided with Wawasan over the Sungai Udang and Bemban seats.

While PAS and Wawasan share a political alliance, the analyst notes that PAS acknowledges the dominance of BN over Wawasan in Melaka politics due to the latter's strength and dominance. The analyst also highlights PAS's reason for distancing itself from the dispute over the two seats, considering that the National Registration Department (JPPM) activities are currently held up by Perikatan Nasional (PN), causing concerns about the use of the merger symbol in the Melaka PRN election.

Recently, PAS President Hamzah Zainuddin emphasized his party's desire to defend the DUN for Sungai Udang and Bemban in PRN Melaka, as Umno wishes to retain 21 seats. PAS candidates Dr Aleef Yusof (Sungai Udang) and Dr Yadzil Yaakub (Bemban) won against PN candidates when Bersatu was part of the merger alliance during the 2021 PRN.

Both are now affiliated with Wawasan. However, Sungai Udang is expected to be one of the main sources of contention after Umno Melaka Chief Ab Rauf Yusof confirmed his replacement, Rais Yasin, as a merger candidate for the contested seat. Rais had previously held the DUN for Paya Rumput and was a coordinator for Sungai Udang. Analyst Azmi Hassan suggests that the Sungai Udang and Bemban dispute arises because Umno and Wawasan have not had a direct discussion on seat distribution.

"The seat distribution for Wawasan falls under PAS's responsibility," he said. He added that there may be an opportunity for a formula if Umno-PAS cooperation is agreed upon, with BN retaining the 21 seats they won in PRN 2021, while the remaining seven seats are resolved jointly by PAS and Wawasan.