Support for Wan Rosdy shows Bersatu rethinking strategy, says analyst

 Syaza Shukri says Bersatu’s failure to replace Umno could push the party towards cooperation with its former rival.

Analyst Azmi Hassan said the two Bersatu assemblymen’s backing for Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail is significant, given that party president Muhyiddin Yassin endorsed it.

PETALING JAYA:

The decision of two Bersatu assemblymen to back Pahang menteri besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail could signal a shift in the party’s strategy after its failure to displace Umno as the dominant force in Malay politics, says an analyst.

Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia said Bersatu now had to confront the reality that its efforts had fallen short, particularly after its loss in every seat it contested at the Johor and Negeri Sembilan elections.

“The reality is that Bersatu simply cannot replace Umno. So if it cannot defeat Umno, perhaps the approach is to work with it,” she told FMT.

However, Syaza said moving closer to Umno also carried risks, including Bersatu being reduced to the role of a “junior” partner while the two parties continue to compete for the same Malay political base.

Syaza Shukri.

Kuala Sentul assemblyman Jasri Jamaludin and Lepar assemblyman Yazid Yunus had declared their support for Wan Rosdy until the 16th state election.

They said the decision was approved by Bersatu’s top leadership, led by Muhyiddin Yassin, citing the need to ensure political stability in Pahang.

Akademi Nusantara’s Azmi Hassan said the backing was significant because it was endorsed by Muhyiddin, the Bersatu president.

He said the development should also be viewed in the context of Bersatu’s weak position in Pahang Perikatan Nasional, with only two assemblymen compared with PAS’s 15.

PAS has severed political ties with Bersatu although both parties remain in PN.

Azmi Hassan.

“Bersatu is being increasingly cornered within the coalition,” Azmi said.

Mazlan Ali said the move was unlikely to be solely about constituency allocations, as such grievances could have prompted a change in position earlier, as seen with several Bersatu MPs at the federal level.

“The move is more of a political message that Bersatu wants to show it still has room to cooperate outside PN.

“It could also be an early signal that Bersatu wants to open ties with the unity government, particularly Pakatan Harapan (PH),” said the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia analyst.

Pahang’s 42-seat assembly is currently governed by a unity administration comprising Barisan Nasional (BN) and PH. BN holds 17 seats while PH has eight, giving the coalition a 25-seat majority.

Wan Rosdy, the Pahang BN chairman, said earlier this month that BN wanted the unity government with PH to remain in place until the next general election. - FMT