KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) would do better in the medium term to repair its frayed ties with the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) in the run-up to the elections in six states, two political analysts told Malay Mail.
Abandoning the youth-centric party that has openly shown its support all this while, despite not being an official component party, could result in instability for the ruling PH, said political scientist Syaza Shukri.
The International Islamic University Malaysia lecturer of political science noted that PH lacks friends that share the same ideology even after partnering with the Barisan Nasional (BN) and the two other ruling coalitions to form the federal “unity government”.
“I don’t think it is wise for Pakatan to cut ties with Muda or any party at this point. Even though Muda has not truly been a mass movement, it is better to bring as many parties together that share their ideology. Even though I know that would be difficult because there would be overlaps,” she said.
Syaza said that PH grassroots would understand that accepting what Muda has to offer to the coalition currently carried by PKR and DAP would not be perceived as “weak” power play by the Anwar-led coalition.
“It’s just that I think the grassroots are not happy with how Muda is handling their frustration; that is where I think the narrative of PH is weak if they accept Muda comes from.
“But what is the other option? Leaving Muda to continue disparaging PH would be worse because they do make lots of noise,” she added.
The cordial ties between Muda and PH leaders, especially from its lynchpin PKR, appear to have hit snag recently amid seat negotiations for the six state elections.
Muda information chief Luqman Long denied involvement and accused PH of misleading voters in Selangor, after state PKR chief Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, who is also the menteri besar, asserted that seat talks were still ongoing with the younger party.
Muda also bristled at its protracted wait to join PH months after applying when PKR communications chief Fahmi Fadzil said the coalition was prioritising BN in plans for the coming six state elections instead.
Commenting on the matter, Universiti Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections sociopolitical analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi said that Muda’s involvement in the upcoming state polls will depend on the final seat allocation talk between PH and BN.
He said that this is because the state elections are the main stage for the PH-BN alliance to take on the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition after GE15 last November.
He said Muda might take a step back and support the “unity government” in another way besides fielding its candidates.
“Muda has to be given a chance to support PH and BN, collect their strength, show their loyalty and their willingness to work hard to help PH and BN in the upcoming state election,” Awang Azman said.
But Mazlan Ali, a political analyst from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s Razak Faculty Perdana Centre, offered a dissenting view.
He said Muda does not add anything significant to the “unity government” as PH and BN both have their own youth wings.
He added that PH had given Muda its chance to prove its ability to pull the youth vote in the November general election, but the latter has seemingly failed to do so.
“Regarding Muda, this party is very weak and did not make an impact in the last 15th general election despite being given the opportunity by PH to contest in several seats.
“Muda seems unable to attract young voters, therefore, Muda now is no longer important to PH,” Mazlan said.
He went as far as to suggest PH cut its ties with Muda, saying the recent barbed exchanges showed the two were no longer moving towards the same goals.
