THE weakening of former ruling party Umno is leading to growing polarisation of Malaysian society into supporters of social democratic principles and religiously driven Malay nationalists, according to a report in the East Asia Forum.

The still unsteady Pakatan Harapan government is benefitting from a failing Umno, as many of the party’s lawmakers and supporters are attempting to switch to the ruling coalition.

However, those remaining in Umno are throwing their support behind Islamist party PAS.

As a result, Malaysian politics is shaping into a “a brutal contest between the fragmented forces of social democratic pluralism within PH and religiously driven Malay ethno-sectarians, made up of what is left of the Umno and PAS”, said the academic and research platform based at the Australian National University.

The article said Malay nationalists have been reviving efforts that began under former prime minister Najib Razak to cement a pre-election dalliance with PAS to shore up Malay support.

It said as PH remains “a divided, uncertain and hesitating” ruling bloc, the Umno-PAS opposition will increasingly attempt to derail the new government’s efforts to push reforms through racial and religious rhetoric.

Earlier this month, Malay rights groups along with Umno and PAS supporters took to the streets to protest against an anti-racism UN convention, claiming that Putrajaya’s earlier intention to ratify the agreement would signal a threat to the special privileges currently enjoyed by Bumiputeras.

“The PH government’s opponents proclaim that Islam is in peril, and that no one will save it but the Malays,” said the article.

“They also argue that Malays, and their stake in the country, are in jeopardy and they can only be upheld through Islam.

“Devised to promote the Umno-PAS entente since 2013, this rhetoric is now the theme of the growing opposition assault upon the PH government.” – December 24, 2018.