Bersama must rethink its approach to identity politics, says analyst

Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, an analyst from Universiti Sains Malaysia, argues that Bersama must reconsider its identity politics approach following its second electoral failure in the Melaka state election. The party's liberal ideology is out of sync with the country's current identity-based politics that have shaped voting behavior since Malaysia's independence.

Fauzi asserts that communal identity still dominates the ballot and suggests that identity politics will persist until a new national consensus is reached, which would require constitutional changes. He further states that Bersama is living in an idealistic bubble that is unrealistic for the present time. The analyst points to Bersama's poor performance in Gadek, where it was outperformed by Putra, a party known for its ultra-nationalism, in terms of votes and seats won.

Fauzi also highlights that Bersama's lack of influence makes it difficult to attract votes from Pakatan Harapan (PH) voters despite PH's liberal outlook. He suggests that rational PH voters would not risk voting for Bersama unless there are compelling reasons to do so. The analyst emphasizes that Bersama needs to integrate identity politics into its electoral strategy if it aims to make significant progress in future elections.

Despite failing to win any seats in Melaka, some candidates managed to retain their deposits. One example is Dr Solehin Saleh from Bemban, who secured 4,140 votes, placing second to the incumbent Perikatan Nasional candidate. The candidate secured 22.5% of the votes, which is above the 12.5% threshold required to retain his deposit.

Fauzi emphasizes that Bersama's progress should be measured by its share of the vote rather than the number of seats won. Political consultancy Asrul Sani agrees with this view and suggests that the party should build its electoral base rather than solely relying on vote share. However, Sani questions how long Bersama can depend on vote share without translating that support into actual electoral victories.