To curtail PAS’s influence, PH must work with Bersatu, say analysts

 Azmi Hassan says a PH-Bersatu alliance will be a win-win for both parties, while Mazlan Ali says cooperation can help neutralise the threat posed by the close relationship between BN and PAS.

Analysts said Azmin Ali can help PH retain Selangor, thereby helping his successor Amirudin Shari return as menteri besar, if a deal is struck.

PETALING JAYA:

Pakatan Harapan (PH) needs to work with Bersatu, particularly former Selangor menteri besar Azmin Ali’s network, if it wants to curtail PAS’s growing influence and retain the state, say political analysts.

They said it would also be in Bersatu’s interest to tie up with PH.

Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said PH is not as strong in Selangor now as it was before, noting that Perikatan Nasional (PN) denied the coalition a two-thirds majority in the 2023 state election.

Azmi Hassan.

That year, PN won 22 of Selangor’s 56 state seats —12 for Bersatu and 10 for PAS. PH took home 34 seats, four short of the 38 needed for a two-thirds majority.

For PH, this was a big drop from the 51 seats it won in the 2018 election. That year, Barisan Nasional (BN) won only four seats, while the remaining seat went to PAS.

Pakatan Rakyat — the now defunct precursor to PH — of which PAS was also a component, had wrested the state from BN in the 2008 election.

Azmi said given that PAS has identified Selangor as a stepping stone to Putrajaya, cooperation between PH and Bersatu has become increasingly relevant.

PAS and Bersatu are components of PN, but the Islamic party severed ties with its partner in June.

The Azmin factor

Azmi said PN’s strong showing in the 2023 state polls was not solely due to PAS’s strength. He said PAS had significant help from Bersatu, particularly Azmin, who is the party’s secretary-general.

“As a former menteri besar Azmin is quite synonymous with Selangor politics,” he told FMT.

PH therefore has a strong reason to work with Bersatu, or more specifically, Azmin’s camp, to strengthen its position in the state, Azmi said.

“So, I think it makes a lot of sense for PH to work closely with Bersatu and Azmin, or his camp in this case.”

Azmi said a PH-Bersatu alliance would be a win-win for both parties. He pointed out that it is no longer viable for Bersatu to go it alone, making it necessary to work with a more influential camp.

At the same time, PH needs a political party that can deliver Malay votes.

Last week, Saifuddin Shafi Muhammad, political secretary to Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari, said his boss was open to working with any party “genuinely committed to the state’s stability, development and people’s welfare”.

Different course for Bersatu

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia political analyst Mazlan Ali said the prospect of a PH-Bersatu pact had been boosted by PAS’s decision to cut ties with Bersatu.

Mazlan Ali.

“Bersatu is now charting a new political direction and the best option at this time is to join PH.”

Mazlan said cooperation could help neutralise the threat posed by the close relationship between BN and PAS, while strengthening the Selangor government.

He pointed out that several Bersatu leaders, such as Azmin, Hilman Idham and Dr Afif Bahardin already wield considerable influence in the state. Hilman and Afif are Gombak Setia and Taman Medan assemblymen respectively.

Mazlan said now that Bersatu has been sidelined by PAS, it is unable to operate on its own. This makes the possibility of a pact with PH “increasingly likely”, he added.

He said the political develoments in Johor and Negeri Sembilan had also created more room for cooperation between PH and Malay-based parties.

PH suffered extensive losses in the July 11 Johor election and Aug 1 Negeri Sembilan polls.

In the case of Bersatu, he said the party’s position has been weakened by its conflict with PAS. “This means it has few alternatives if it wants to rebuild its strength, particularly in Selangor.

“And working with a stronger coalition can ensure the survival of the Malay party,” he added. - FMT