Anti-PH sentiment alone won’t win votes for Bersama, says analyst

 The party appears to be following PKR's Reformasi-era playbook, but the political landscape today lacks similar intensity.

Parti Bersama Malaysia, recently formed by former PKR leaders, was defeated in all 15 seats contested in Johor, with all its candidates losing their deposits.

PETALING JAYA:

Parti Bersama Malaysia cannot depend solely on votes from those dissatisfied with Pakatan Harapan to win in an election, says a political analyst following the party’s wipeout at Saturday’s Johor polls.

Syaza Shukri.

Syaza Shukri of the International Islamic University Malaysia said Bersama, led by two former PKR leaders, appeared to be trying to replicate PKR’s rise from the “Reformasi” movement in 1998.

However, the political landscape today lacked similar intensity, said Syaza.

The “Reformasi” movement was sparked by Anwar Ibrahim’s sacking as deputy prime minister and his subsequent arrest, which triggered widespread protests and calls for reforms to the judiciary and an end to corruption among other issues.

“People are angry at PH, but that’s not enough. People want to believe Bersama actually has a chance to make a difference and not just spoil votes,” she told FMT.

Syaza said the party now faced the challenge of sustaining its momentum following its poor showing in the election. It could suffer the same fate as Muda, where “people just forget about the party”, if it failed to remain relevant.

Bersama, recently formed by former PKR leaders, was defeated in all the 15 seats it contested in Johor, and all its candidates lost their deposits.

Syaza suggested that Bersama and Muda consider working together instead of competing for the same pool of voters.

She said Bersama had yet to convince voters it could deliver meaningful change. The party also relied heavily on a technology-driven campaign, but such an approach could not replace dealing with voters.

“People need that human touch from their leaders. They cannot just list down their grievances with the current government. They need the people’s trust,” she said.

Bersama must strengthen its grassroots presence while preparing for the next general election, but may not have enough time to establish itself before then. The next general election must be held by mid-February 2028 unless Parliament is dissolved earlier.

Lau Zhe Wei.

Political analyst Lau Zhe Wei, also with IIUM, said Bersama’s poor showing in Johor could reinforce the perception that it is not yet a viable electoral force. Bersama secured only 28,816 votes in total across the 15 seats it contested.

He said Bersama lacked a distinct political identity, as many issues that it raised were already being advocated by PH and Muda. “Why should voters choose Bersama? There’s no exclusivity value for the party,” he said.

Bersama must improve its performance when the Negeri Sembilan state election is held next month, he said. - FMT