PN’s suspension will have little bearing on PAS, say analysts

 However, Azmi Hassan says it may pose a challenge for Hamzah Zainudin’s Wawasan.

The suspension imposed by the Registrar of Societies on Perikatan Nasional may impact PAS outside the northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, according to analyst Mazlan Ali.

PETALING JAYA:

Perikatan Nasional’s suspension is expected to have little impact on PAS in the upcoming Melaka state election, though it may present a challenge for Hamzah Zainudin’s Wawasan, according to a political analyst.

Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said PAS was sufficiently established to contest under its own logo.

“But Wawasan is very new and unfamiliar to Melaka voters,” he told FMT, adding that the two parties would have “no choice” but to contest under their respective banners following the suspension.

The Registrar of Societies (RoS) suspended PN on Wednesday, one day after issuing a notice to show cause following a complaint lodged by Bersatu.

Azmi Hassan.

RoS said the suspension was intended to safeguard the organisation’s interests and did not amount to a cancellation of PN’s registration.

Azmi, however, said PN’s suspension was unlikely to derail seat negotiations between Umno and PAS, as Umno appears to have been dealing primarily with PAS rather than PN as a whole.

The development could even push PAS and Umno to conclude their negotiations sooner, he added.

On Thursday, Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said PN’s components were likely to revert to contesting under their own logos in the Melaka state election as well as the next general election.

James Chin.

University of Tasmania analyst James Chin agreed that PN’s suspension would not impact seat negotiations between PAS and Umno.

However, Chin said the bigger question was whether PAS was able to keep PN together. PN is chaired by PAS vice-president Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.

“If PAS cannot get the coalition going, it will be deregistered and there’ll be one less coalition in Malaysia,” he added.

Syaza Shukri.

International Islamic University Malaysia analyst Syaza Shukri said the suspension would put PN at a disadvantage when negotiating for seats with BN.

Prior to the suspension, there were talks that BN and PN would join forces for the Melaka state election.

“But at this stage, PN looks like it is in a mess.”

Mazlan Ali.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia analyst Mazlan Ali, however, said the suspension could significantly affect PAS outside the states of Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis—collectively known as “SG4”.

“PAS relies on the PN brand outside the SG4 states, where the PAS symbol struggles to gain acceptance particularly among non-Malays,” he said.

The Melaka state assembly was dissolved on Wednesday, paving the way for a state election. The suspension of PN activities took effect the following day. - FMT