Kontroversi khalwat dijangka tak jejas sokongan Nik Nazmi dalam Bersama

A controversy surrounding Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad's alleged khul'ua has reportedly not significantly undermined his support within the Bersatu coalition, according to analysts. Petaling Jaya: The khul'ua controversy involving Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad is believed to have minimal impact on his backing from supporters of Bersatu, who tend to separate an individual politician's personal life from their political record, said analysts.

However, they noted that the issue might dampen Bersatu's ability to attract support from conservative Malay voters when they attempt to broaden their base. James Chin, from the University of Tasmania, stated that the controversy does not necessarily mark the end of Nik Nazmi's political career, as supporters from various backgrounds can distinguish between a leader's personal life and political performance.

"No, this is not the end of his political career," he told FMT. Chin cited examples of presidential candidate Amanah Mohamad Sabu, who was accused of khul'ua in 1995 but was released by the Sharia Court of Kelantan without a chance to defend himself after the prosecution failed to prove prima facie, and former MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek, who stepped down from all his positions in the government and party in 2008 following a sex scandal but returned to politics two years later by winning the MCA presidency.

According to Chin, this shows that a political figure can still return after facing controversy, depending on the party they come from. "It might be difficult to return if from PAS, but not really an issue if from DAP or PKR," he said. Nik Nazmi, who also leads Bersatu, confirmed on Saturday that he and a woman were detained by Selangor Islamic Department (Jais) in Petaling Jaya on October 15 for alleged khul'ua.

Subsequent to the incident, the former parliament member was sidelined by Bersatu for three months. Syaza Shukri, from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia, also expressed her view, stating that the controversy is unlikely to have a long-term political impact on Nik Nazmi, although such scandals tend to generate greater sensitivity among Malay voters than financial scandals, as they often relate to questions of "honor and dignity" of a leader.

According to Syaza, the bigger challenge for Bersatu is attracting new Malay voters rather than retaining existing ones, as the party does not currently have a large Malay support base. "This incident will make them harder to attract undecided Malay voters," she said, adding that Bersatu is expected to face no major challenge in retaining existing supporters.

Support from family influences comeback prospects Both analysts agreed that the likelihood of Nik Nazmi returning to active politics may be influenced by the reaction of his family to the controversy. Chin said that as long as his family remains silent and no one speaks about it, the matter will be forgiven. "As long as his family stays quiet and no one talks about it, it will be forgiven," Syaza added, saying that while voters are entitled to judge a politician's personal conduct, they should also give a leader a chance to rectify their situation. "I believe the voters will forgive, especially if he takes the right steps."