PAS stands to benefit hugely by staying neutral and ensuring it remains partners with both Bersatu and Umno, two sides at war, said analysts.

They said the three parties must resolve the issue of cooperation to avoid three-cornered contests in the next general election.

Political lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Dr Mazlan Ali said PAS chose to remain neutral as Bersatu and Umno fought because it was aware of the benefits of working with both the two Malay parties.

“PAS took this step because it benefits. PAS needs Umno to avoid going up against the party in the Malay-Muslim heartland while it needs Bersatu to stay in government.

“Once in the government bloc, they can offer better benefits to their followers and gain greater opportunities to attract support,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

PAS, which won Kelantan and Terengganu in the general election, is now also governing Kedah as a result of political cooperation with Umno and Bersatu. It is also a part of the Perak administration with the two parties.

Although PAS is in the Muafakat Nasional (MN) pact with Umno, the Islamist party has also joined  the Bersatu-led Perikatan Nasional coalition despite Umno’s protests.

Umno, meanwhile, has said its support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will end at the next general election.

Although there has been some pressure for PAS to choose between MN and PN, it is unlikely the Islamist will be picking one over another any time soon.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said last week the party leadership wishes to continue working with both coalitions to unite the Malay-Muslims..

“If the Malays are split once more, non-Muslims will dominate the political arena,” he said in an interview with the Majlis Professor Negara (MPN).

Meanwhile, Ilham Center executive director Hisomuddin Abu Bakar said PAS ‘attitude of cooperating with Umno and Bersatu not only benefits the party but also the current coalition government in the next election.

“If they do not break up, we can say the seats of Parliament and State Legislative Assembly will be dominated by the Malay majority of the three parties.

“Pakatan Harapan and Pejuang cannot challenge them if PAS, Bersatu and Umno work as one team,” said Hisomuddin.

Hisomuddin explained that PAS remains the mediator between Bersatu and Umno even though the relationship between the two parties is very bad now.

“But PAS is in the middle, they are profitable even with only 18 MPs but can get three states as a government.

“They have been given the post of ministers and deputy ministers, already beyond what they have been able to get.

“Umno has many members of parliament but did not get the desired position, even the senior ministers are from the Bersatu bloc,” he added.

On that basis, PAS is in a comfortable state as a government and will not want to become the opposition again, said Hisomuddin.

“PAS still needs to persuade Umno and Bersatu from breaking off, but the mission is difficult at the moment.

“The situation is still unclear how these three parties want to formulate a strategy, if they fail to reach an agreement between PN and MN ... there can be three-cornered fights,” he said.

Meanwhile, PAS Youth Vice Chief, Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden is confident that PAS’s attitude can bear fruit, especially to avoid a three-cornered fight in the election.

“This is a good strategy for the election which is to unite the Malay party that is in government to ensure competition in two directions.

“PAS is able to be a mediator as a peacemaker between Umno and Bersatu,” he explained.

The relationship between Umno and Bersatu has been strained since the two parties worked together to form a new government after coming into power in February 2020.

Umno is expected to decide on the position of their political cooperation in the party’s annual general assembly after the majority of divisions decided to reject cooperation with Bersatu in the next election.

The Umno general assembly which was originally scheduled for this weekend, however, has been postponed to another date following the declaration of emergency and the implementation of the movement control order (PKP) to curb Covid-19. – January 27, 2021.