Bersatu may need to rebrand, rethink alliances after PAS exit, say analysts

 One analyst says that the split has exposed Bersatu's structural vulnerabilities and lack of political identity.

Muhyiddin Yassin’s Bersatu cannot be merely anti-DAP, an extension of Muhyiddin’s shadow, or a vehicle for former Umno members, says an analyst.

PETALING JAYA:

Bersatu may need to overhaul its identity, build its own grassroots machinery and even consider new political alignments to remain relevant, after PAS ended all political cooperation with the party, say analysts.

Universiti Malaya’s Awang Azman Pawi said the split has exposed Bersatu’s biggest problem: its lack of a clear political identity.

“Bersatu must rebuild its narrative. It cannot be merely anti-DAP, merely an extension of Muhyiddin’s shadow, or simply a vehicle for former Umno members,” he told FMT.

“It needs to present itself as a pragmatic Malay party focused on the people’s economy, cost of living, integrity and governance.”

PAS formally severed political ties with Bersatu on June 8, saying that it wanted to explore new electoral arrangements that project Muslim unity ahead of the upcoming state polls and the 16th general election.

However, the Islamic party stopped short of formally withdrawing from Perikatan Nasional, the opposition coalition anchored by both parties.

Since PN’s formation in 2020, PAS has provided the grassroots machinery, religious networks and a loyal support base, helping the coalition make inroads in Malay-majority constituencies, while Bersatu has contributed national-level leadership, with party president Muhyiddin Yassin serving as the eighth prime minister.

Awang Azman acknowledged Bersatu had leadership visibility but said its challenges lie in other key areas.

“Bersatu still has big names such as Muhyiddin and several state leaders. But its main problems are grassroots machinery, political identity and its ability to win without the PAS wave,” he said.

He added that PAS’s departure strips Bersatu of much of the organisational structure that had previously underpinned PN’s electoral strength.

“Without PAS, Bersatu loses much of its ceramah machinery, operations centres, usrah networks, polling workers and grassroots religious influence,” he said.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s Mazlan Ali said Bersatu’s most realistic short-term option would be to remain in PN, but said the party would need to rebrand eventually.

“It can either go solo or discuss cooperation with PH,” he told FMT.

Mazlan cautioned against a standalone path, warning that a split in the Malay vote would leave Bersatu, Gerakan and MIPP without enough combined strength to win seats.

He said any cooperation with Pakatan Harapan should not be viewed as impossible, noting that Malaysian politics has repeatedly produced unlikely alliances — from PAS’s partnership with DAP under Pakatan Rakyat to the post-GE15 formation of the PH-BN unity government.

Akademi Nusantara’s Azmi Hassan said Bersatu’s immediate priority is to remain within PN, ideally with Muhyiddin continuing as coalition chairman. However, he cautioned that this alone would not be enough.

“They could work with PH to gain Malay support. They need this strategy to survive in the national scenario,” he said. - FMT