Melaka polls show PAS can’t win non-Malay votes even with BN alliance

The Melaka polls have revealed that the Islamic party PAS is struggling to win over non-Malay voters, even with its alliance with Barisan Nasional (BN), according to an analyst. Syaza Shukri, a professor from International Islamic University Malaysia, highlighted the credibility gap PAS has among non-Malay voters, suggesting that Perikatan Nasional, of which PAS is a key partner, will have difficulties making inroads into the Democratic Action Party's (DAP) strongholds.

Syaza argued that despite BN's inclusiveness compared to PN, the trust deficit among non-Malays remains high, and the alliance between PN and BN is insufficient to bridge this gap. Awang Azman Pawi, a political scientist from Universiti Malaya, echoed Syaza's sentiments, stating that although BN and PN managed to secure Malay votes, they failed to appeal to non-Malay voters who are more aligned with DAP.

Awang noted that while Umno and PAS succeeded in winning Malay votes, they struggled to convince non-Malay voters to shift their support away from DAP. This election serves as a preview of the challenges PN will face in winning over non-Malay voters in the future.