Bersama’s ‘kamikaze’ politics risks a Muafakat Nasional revival

 Its mission will not only sink Rafizi Ramli’s party, but may drag PH down with it.

Two developments last week caught my attention.

The first was Parti Bersama Malaysia’s rejection of an invitation from Amanah to discuss seat allocations for the upcoming Johor election.

The second was PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s confirmation that his party leaders had met with their Umno counterparts amid calls for a revival of the Muafakat Nasional (MN) alliance.

Both moves say much about the shifting sands of Malaysian politics.

Bersama’s refusal to engage with Amanah raises questions. Was it an act of spite intended to throw a wrench into Pakatan Harapan’s plans? Or is Bersama genuinely going solo to test the waters?

It is natural for a new party to want to prove itself at the polls. Yet history shows that alliances matter.

Both Muda and Bersatu performed well when aligned with PH previously. Syed Saddiq secured the Muar parliamentary seat for Muda while under PH’s banner, and Amira Aisya won the Puteri Wangsa state seat, both in Johor.

In 2018, Bersatu, led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad and contesting in its first general election, captured 13 seats while under the PH umbrella.

I had hoped that Bersama would do the same. Rafizi Ramli could have shown he had buried the hatchet with Anwar Ibrahim by working with DAP or Amanah to prevent votes in mixed constituencies from drifting towards Umno or PAS.

Instead, by splitting votes due to PH, Bersama risks enabling the very outcome it claims to want to resist: a conservative Malay-Muslim government under MN.

At its unveiling, Bersama claimed it was on a kamikaze mission. The problem is that the mission will not only sink Bersama, but may bring PH down with it.

Umno’s position is equally puzzling. Johor Umno, and by extension Barisan Nasional, insists it will contest the state polls alone. Yet at the national level, Umno leaders are meeting PAS.

It is astonishing that Umno can cozy up to both sides. It is an act of political bigamy that brings to mind the P Ramlee classic, Madu Tiga!

But Umno’s duplicity has consequences.

If Umno cozies up to PAS while remaining in government with PH, what does that mean for Anwar Ibrahim’s administration?

Would it be tenable for Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to continue as deputy prime minister, for Umno ministers to remain in Cabinet, and for Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki to hold on to the post of Mara chairman?

Clearly, Umno’s actions have left Prime Minister Anwar in a quandary.

I have a feeling that Umno is afraid of the impending Negeri Sembilan polls, one which they may have inadvertently engineered, and is hedging in bets.

Fortunately, PH has called Umno’s bluff and is likely to retain Negeri Sembilan— unless of course Bersama becomes a thorn in its flesh.

What do these two episodes tell us?

Firstly, Bersama is spiteful. Instead of helping reduce the threat of a PAS-Umno alliance, it has chosen to spurn Amanah’s offer. Does Bersama not fear the possibility of Malaysia being governed by an administration that pushes communal politics?

Secondly, Umno is split. One camp eyes a reunion with PAS, while another wants to stick with PH.

Rafizi’s inability to rise above personal grievances contrasts sharply with Anwar’s past willingness to set aside his animosity for Malaysia’s sake.

Anwar endured imprisonment and assault at the hands of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, yet re-united with him to prevent Najib Razak’s return to power. Rafizi appears unable or unwilling to do the same.

If Anwar dissolves Parliament now, Umno would likely gravitate toward PAS.

That may see its voters pushed back into PH’s arms, but Bersama’s kamikaze politics may split the votes and bring victory to MN — and defeat for all Malaysians. - FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.