PAS will continue its relationship with Bersatu and forsake Umno, analysts predict, as the Islamist party will have fewer conflicts over seat negotiations with the party heading the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government. 

Unlike Umno, PAS has no issues with Bersatu in terms of seat sharing, said Ilham Centre director Hisommudin Bakar. 

“PAS’ strength is in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, where Bersatu is non-existent, and PAS will have no difficulties getting the seats it wants in those states. 

“On the other hand, PAS will always be in some conflict with Umno, which is also strong in Kedah and Terengganu, and to a lesser degree, Kelantan,” said Hisommudin. 

Bersatu wants to contest in more than the 31 federal seats it has in the next general election, half of which are seats won by Barisan Nasional in 2018, before the Umno incumbents defected to Bersatu.

Umno has rejected the idea of handing any seat it contested to Bersatu, saying the smaller party would only leech off its machinery and resources.

Umno’s discontent with Bersatu also stems from being sidelined from major cabinet portfolios, despite being the dominant party with more MPs. 

But for PAS, as long as it stays in the federal government or sticks with Bersatu, the party will also have more resources to deal with its foes, the pollster added.  

“The party can maintain the benefits it is currently enjoying as a result of its position in Putrajaya.” 

PAS is certainly worried PN will fail, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s Dr Mazlan Ali said, based on recent statements from the party appealing for unity between Umno and Bersatu. 

“PAS is trying to remind Umno and Bersatu the importance of preserving the unity among the parties in government.  

“But this does not assuage the anger and concerns of the Umno grassroots, who have decided to end ties with Bersatu,” said the political science lecturer. 

“Although PAS has failed to be the middleman in this Umno-Bersatu war, it hopes PN can last as long as it can,” said Mazlan. 

The analysts are commenting on what PAS’ next steps might be after 143 Umno divisions urged the party leadership to stop political cooperation with Bersatu in the next election. 

The divisions completed their annual meetings over the weekend, ahead of its annual general assembly on January 30 and 31. 

Several divisions have also urged the Umno leadership to review its ties with PAS – a partner in the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact – as the Islamist party appears to favour Bersatu over Umno. 

PAS and Bersatu are part of the PN political coalition, which Umno has refused to join. Umno said its MPs are only supporting the PN government for the sake of stability. 

MN’s formation in 2019 came after PAS and Umno set aside their bitter history to seek political cooperation, after Barisan Nasional lost the 2018 election. 

Both parties joined Bersatu to form the PN government in March last year, with some MPs from each side given cabinet appointments.

While PAS has shown continued interest in political cooperation with Bersatu, Umno is largely against any collaboration once the PN’s tenure ends. 

Over the weekend, several Umno divisions said the party should contest in no fewer than all the 121 parliamentary seats it fielded candidates in in the 14th general election, while others passed resolutions calling for a snap general election within the first quarter of this year, failing which Umno MPs should leave the PN government. – January 5, 2021.