KUALA LUMPUR – The current internal dynamics and leadership crisis within Perikatan Nasional (PN) are expected to provide a strategic advantage to the parties under the Unity Government, according to political analysts.
Hisommudin Bakar, Chief Executive Officer of Ilham Centre, highlighted that the apparent fragmentation within Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) has weakened the coalition’s overall standing compared to its performance in the 15th General Election (GE15).
Internal Leadership Crisis The analysis follows a series of high-profile departures and disciplinary actions within Bersatu. On February 13, the party’s Disciplinary Board expelled former Secretary-General Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and three other Members of Parliament. This was followed by the “Kuala Lumpur Declaration,” where 19 Bersatu MPs reportedly called for Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to step down as President.
Furthermore, the vacancy of the PN Chairman position—following Muhyiddin’s resignation effective January 1—has added to the coalition’s instability. PAS Secretary-General Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan recently stated that the new PN Chairman would be announced this coming Sunday.
Shifting Voter Sentiments Hisommudin noted that during GE15, PN successfully captured the “youth vote” and “Undi 18” segments in Malay-majority seats, largely because Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) struggled to appeal to that demographic at the time.
However, with GE16 less than 20 months away, the loyalty of these young voters is now in question.
“With these internal disputes and public infighting, what will be the attitude of the voters who gave them support in the last election?” Hisommudin asked during the Dialog Tiga Penjuru program on Astro AWANI. “Will they remain loyal, or will this polemic cause them to shift their support?”
Opportunities for the Unity Government The analyst suggested that the “small window” of opportunity for the Unity Government lies in the potential for multi-cornered fights. If PN remains fractured, Bersatu candidates might find themselves clashing not only with the government’s BN or PH candidates but potentially losing synergy with their ally, PAS.
“For example, if PN is split, Bersatu might clash with PAS and BN, while also facing PH representatives from Amanah or PKR,” Hisommudin added.
This fragmentation in the Malay-majority voter bloc opens a path for the Unity Government to reclaim seats that were previously considered PN strongholds, provided they can capitalize on the opposition’s current instability.
