Onn Hafiz factor and PAS backing led to BN victory, say analysts

 The lack of a credible and united Malay-Muslim challenger, because of divisions between PAS and Bersatu, is also seen as a factor.

An analyst said Onn Hafiz Ghazi will be firmly established as a rising national leader in Umno, thanks to BN’s landslide victory tonight. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

The landslide Barisan Nasional victory in today’s Johor state election is largely thanks to state BN chief Onn Hafiz Ghazi’s popularity in the state as party leader and menteri besar, and the open backing of opposition party PAS, says a political analyst.

Asrul Sani of Asia Group said Onn Hafiz’s stock has been on the rise since he was appointed menteri besar in March 2022; tonight’s landslide victory will firmly establish the three-term assemblyman as a rising national leader in Umno, Asrul told FMT.

“His strong mandate is likely to increase his influence within the party and give greater confidence to those who want Umno to contest independently rather than alongside Pakatan Harapan,” he added.

James Chin of the University of Tasmania said BN’s victory came through the lack of a credible and united Malay-Muslim challenger because of Perikatan Nasional’s internal divisions between PAS and Bersatu.

Chin said Bersatu was already imploding before the state polls, with the sanctions imposed against top leaders such as parliamentary opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin.

PAS also ended its political cooperation with Bersatu early last month and openly urged supporters to back BN in seats not contested by PN.

“Many people credit Onn Hafiz as the main reason for Umno’s landslide victory, but the truth is more nuanced. While Onn Hafiz’s personal popularity certainly helped, the bigger factor was that Umno barely faced any real opposition.

“With no credible Malay-Muslim challenger in the ring, and bolstered by Onn Hafiz’s strong appeal, Umno was virtually unstoppable,” he said.

BN is on course to win more than the 40 seats it secured in the 2022 state polls, while Pakatan Harapan is expecting to win only eight seats. BN and PH both contested all 56 state assembly seats.

Asrul said the active involvement of popular Umno leaders such as Khairy Jamaluddin and Hishammuddin Hussein in the campaign also signalled their renewed relevance in the party.

Hishammuddin and Khairy were suspended and sacked respectively for being critical of party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. They were recently readmitted to Umno under the party’s “Rumah Bangsa” initiative.

Asrul said BN’s immediate test would be whether it could carry the momentum from Johor into the Negeri Sembilan election next month.

“A strong result there would add more pressure to the Umno-PH relationship, and that is what Zahid and PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim will need to manage carefully at the federal level,” he said.

BN and PH are allies in the federal unity coalition government, with other partners from East Malaysia and minor parties. - FMT