PN's Young Voters Unaware of PAS-Bersatu Feud, Says Think Tank

Young voters backing Perikatan Nasional (PN) are largely unaware of the bitter feud between Bersatu and PAS, which now chairs the coalition, Ilham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar said.

He said on-the-ground surveys showed these voters recognised the coalition's brand but not its internal developments.

"All (young voters) know is PN, PN, PN … It's because of their 'slow branding' that most young voters aren't grasping the ins-and-outs of what's happening in the coalition.

"In Johor and Negeri Sembilan, some of them talked about voting for PN in seats PN wasn't even contesting," he said during a panel discussion on the recent state elections at Universiti Malaya this evening.

Hisommudin said PAS and opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin's Wawasan stood to gain the most from the trend, as both had successfully tapped into PN's brand based on the Negeri Sembilan election results. PN's brand, he added, was already well established in the minds of existing supporters.

In the Negeri Sembilan polls, PAS led PN into an electoral pact with Barisan Nasional (BN), with PN securing seven seats and BN winning 18 to form the state government. In protest at the BN pact, Bersatu ventured solo in 24 seats under its own banner, with all its candidates soundly defeated.

Lower threshold for BN-PN victories

Ilham Centre research chief Yusri Ibrahim said the BN-PN tie-up essentially meant the alliance could win any seat where Malay voters make up at least 40% of the electorate.

"If they were to replicate their model of cooperation in Negeri Sembilan in the Melaka state election, that would mean the alliance could win 24 of the 28 seats," he said.

Yusri said seat negotiations would be the biggest challenge for both coalitions in Melaka. BN has voiced its intention to defend its existing 21 seats, while PAS was unfazed by the possibility of clashing with the Umno-led coalition.

Another panellist, Zaini Othman of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said he found nothing wrong with identity politics, as regional and racial identities are at the core of Malaysia's federal structure.

"Race is part and parcel of our political values. We're a federation after all. Sentiments like 'Sabah for Sabahans' and 'Sarawak for Sarawakians' are everywhere. If we took these identities away from our people, there is sure to be a revolt," the political analyst said.

Pakatan Harapan had blamed its Negeri Sembilan defeat on rivals' exploitation of identity politics after BN-PN won a two-thirds majority. Former DAP MP Ong Kian Ming said this was unfair, as PH had also benefitted from racial narratives in previous elections.