Umno will play second fiddle to PAS if pact revived, says analyst

PETALING JAYA: Umno will play second fiddle to PAS if the two Malay-Muslim parties revive their political pact under Muafakat Nasional (MN), says a political analyst.

Ilham Centre head researcher Yusri Ibrahim pointed out that both parties target the same segment of voters, the Malays, but Umno’s standing among the electorate is currently far behind that of PAS.

“Therefore, a political pact between PAS and Umno would leave the latter as a mere complement. When footballers are forced to warm the bench, even the greatest players would lose their sting over time,” he said in a Facebook post.

Speculation of PAS and Umno reviving their MN pact gained traction after the Islamic party decided to end its political cooperation with Bersatu earlier this week.

Last week, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang confirmed that senior leaders from the Islamic party met with their counterparts in Umno, though he did not disclose the details of the meeting.

However, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi ruled out reviving MN, saying his party has no intention of resurrecting the alliance in any form as it has “closed the book on it”.

Yusri said Umno could cooperate with PAS in other ways, such as working together to boost the Bumiputera economy and improve the quality of public education.

“But when it comes to cooperating in a political alliance, with both parties fighting for influence over the same segment of voters, PAS will dominate the arena and Umno will be on the losing end,” he said.