MELAKA: Amid the battle for the 28 seats in the Melaka election, another fight is taking place beneath the surface, one for Bersatu’s political survival.
The party’s political journey this year has been a winding one, complicated by internal friction following the clash between party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s camp and that of then deputy president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, electoral setbacks in Johor and Negri Sembilan, and its increasingly precarious position in Perikatan Nasional.
As such, the stakes are high for Bersatu in this state election, with questions over its ability to attract Malay voters, retain grassroots support and remain relevant to potential allies.
In the Johor election, Bersatu lost all 16 seats it contested, with its candidates losing their deposits in 10 of them. In Negri Sembilan it lost all 24 seats it contested, with its candidates losing their deposits in 23.
The contest in the Gemas seat, however, offered a telling story of the struggle Bersatu is facing. The party failed to win the seat, which went to Wawasan candidate Ridzuan Ahmad, who previously won the constituency as a Bersatu candidate. He polled 16,153 votes against the 1,012 votes obtained by Bersatu candidate Azman Abdullah. Pakatan Harapan candidate Siti Aishah received 3,529 votes.
That rivalry will play out again in the Melaka election, particularly in Bemban, where Bersatu is challenging Wawasan candidate Dr Mohd Yadzil Yaakub. Like Ridzuan in Gemas, Yadzil previously represented the seat under Bersatu before leaving the party.
The contest is unfolding against the backdrop of strained relations between Bersatu and Pas over the former’s position in PN. However, the two parties will not face each other directly in the Melaka election.
Bersatu has maintained that the situation in Melaka will be different from that in Johor and Negri Sembilan, possibly reflecting an informal understanding with PH, although neither party has made an official commitment on the matter.
On paper, it appears that PH has made way for Bersatu in several constituencies, including Lendu, Sungai Udang, Pantai Kundor and Bemban. However, the two parties will still compete against each other in Kelebang, Ayer Keroh and Pengkalan Batu.
Leaders from both sides have also made differing statements on the possibility of cooperation. Melaka PH chairman Adly Zahari said the coalition would not prevent its supporters from backing Bersatu candidates in seats where PH was not contesting. Muhyiddin, meanwhile, said Bersatu had not instructed its members to support candidates from other parties, although it welcomed assistance from any side.
Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, however, said he had not ruled out a more open understanding between the party and PH towards the end of the Melaka election campaign. He acknowledged that Bersatu could not go it alone and needed to work with other parties to ensure stability.
Azmin’s remarks suggest that both sides recognise the potential benefits of cooperation. However, the absence of clear commitments leaves the extent of any support uncertain, raising questions over whether voters from one party will back the other’s candidates at the ballot box.
Political analyst Associate Professor Dr Mazlan Ali believed that PH and Bersatu had not officially declared their cooperation because they did not want their arrangement to be used as political ammunition by their rivals in the state election.
However, he said that despite the possibility of support from PH voters, the election would remain challenging for Bersatu.
“I have no high hopes for Bersatu to win seats in the Melaka election. I think Bersatu will perform better this time around in terms of increasing the number of voters compared to its performance in Negri Sembilan.”
He said PH and Bersatu were unlikely to dent Barisan Nasional’s hold on the 21 seats it is defending, particularly given the consolidated support among Malay voters following BN’s cooperation with PN.
In the end, a stronger showing could help Bersatu reassert the party’s relevance in the country’s political landscape. Another poor performance, particularly in seats contested against Wawasan, would make it harder for Bersatu to convince potential partners that it remains an electoral asset.