Bersatu needs a clear agenda for Malaysians, says Wan Saiful

 

Bersatu Supreme Council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan says the wave of protest votes has faded since the 2022 general election.

KUALA LUMPUR: 

Bersatu needs some soul-searching considering its lack of hardcore supporters and reliance on protest votes among Umno members in elections, says a party leader.

Supreme Council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan said the party must present Malaysians with a clear agenda, in order to attract new members and supporters.

He said Bersatu’s failure to win by-elections since 2022 was a sign that the wave of protest votes had faded, and that the party must look elsewhere.

Bersatu, representing Perikatan Nasional (PN), lost in all four by-elections since the 2022 general election, most recently in Mahkota, Johor, where it suffered a landslide defeat to Umno.

While there were claims that Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) had misused government machinery on the campaign trail, Wan Saiful said these defeats should make the party reflect on its long-term survival.

“Bersatu should use this to self-reflect and to acknowledge that we do not have hardcore supporters yet. While there may be some, they are but a small group. This means we need to focus on expanding the party’s base of support.

“That way, when the wave (of protest votes) comes to an end, we will remain strong,” he said in an interview with FMT.

Bersatu performed well in GE15, winning 31 parliamentary seats, and put up a similar showing in six state elections in August 2023, helping PN to sweep seats in the PAS-led states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.

One factor for PN’s strong showing was the aversion of Umno members to BN’s partnership with PH, especially DAP, in the unity government, according to think tank Ilham Centre.

A clear agenda for Malaysians

Wan Saiful said it was time for Bersatu to present Malaysians with a clear agenda of its own for the nation, as part of its efforts to attract new members and supporters to the eight-year-old party.

He said the Muhyiddin Yassin-led party must look to offer new ideas and proposals related to the governing of the country, an aspect that analysts have said was sorely lacking in PN.

“We need to offer alternatives to the current government’s policies.

“That will help generate support among the rakyat and it would not be based on their rejection of other parties (but for our proposed policies, instead),” he added

Wan Saiful admitted this should also be the focus of fellow PN partners PAS, Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP), but maintained that his primary focus was Bersatu.

“If one were to beautify one’s residential area, they have to focus on their own home first. So I want to see Bersatu improve first,” he said. - FMT