Bersatu ‘window shopping’ for GE16 partner amid waning PN momentum

 The clearest sign came recently when party deputy president Hamzah Zainudin hinted at the possibility of mending ties with former rivals Umno.

PAS does not appear to want Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin as its prime ministerial candidate at GE16, while his deputy Hamzah Zainudin is open to working with Umno.

PETALING JAYA:

 Bersatu is actively “window shopping” for a political partner ahead of Malaysia’s 16th general election (GE16), as signals from party leaders point to growing unease within the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition it helped establish.

The clearest sign came recently when party deputy president Hamzah Zainudin hinted at the possibility of mending ties with its former rivals, particularly Umno.

Analysts say the move is driven by necessity.

“We can sense that Bersatu is truly anxious about the longevity of its partnership with PAS,” said Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).

Syaza Shukri.

“It’s becoming clearer that Bersatu is keeping its options open, because it knows PN is losing momentum,” she told FMT.

Bersatu and PAS have long marketed themselves as a united front defending Malay-Muslim interests. But beneath the surface, cracks are beginning to show.

PAS enjoys strong grassroots support and has a firm religious influence among the Malays, whereas Bersatu—formed through defections from Umno—has struggled to establish its political relevance.

The Islamic party has also refrained from naming Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin as the opposition coalition’s prime ministerial candidate, suggesting it may prefer one of its own leaders given the party forms the largest bloc in Perikatan Nasional with 43 parliamentary seats.

Last month, Hamzah also acknowledged concerns that PAS is now operating more independently within PN, as it leads the state governments of Perlis, Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan.

That imbalance, Syaza said, is feeding friction behind the scenes.

“There has been friction here and there. While (both parties claim) their struggle is in the name of Islam and Malay unity, their methods differ.

“Bersatu distancing itself from PAS is now easier to imagine than before,” said Syaza.

Umno may prefer PH

The reunion between Umno and Bersatu is unlikely to come easily.

“Umno may prefer to welcome Bersatu members back individually, rather than negotiate with Bersatu as a party,” said Syaza.

“But this is Malaysian politics. If Umno and DAP can sit together, then Umno and Bersatu should be easier.”

Still, old wounds run deep. Bersatu’s departure from Umno after the 2018 general election and its role in the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in 2020 remain sore points for many Umno loyalists, said Azmi Hassan, a senior fellow at Akademi Nusantara.

For that reason, he said, Umno may prefer working with Pakatan Harapan instead.

Azmi Hassan.

“Seat negotiations are more manageable with PH because there’s less overlap,” Azmi told FMT.

“With Bersatu, there’s a huge overlap as about 80% of their seats target the same Malay-majority areas. That’s a strategic nightmare.”

Hamzah’s recent remarks on a podcast with former law minister Zaid Ibrahim—where he hinted at a possible alliance between Umno and Bersatu based on shared ideology—have reignited speculation.

But Hisomuddin Bakar of Ilham Centre was quick to caution against reading too much into them.

“Hamzah’s comments reflect personal views, not party policy. He also indirectly pointed to Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as a major stumbling block,” he told FMT.

The tension could be seen during the Ayer Kuning by-election, when Hamzah proposed forming a Perak state government with Umno-BN if PN won. The idea was shot down by Zahid, reinforcing the party’s stand against any formal reunion with Bersatu.

Syaza said there are both advantages and disadvantages in Bersatu keeping its options open.

“On the one hand, it shows flexibility. On the other, it gives the impression they don’t have a clear direction.” - FMT