Bersatu turmoil undermines PN cohesion, weakening Opposition against rivals - Analyst
Bersatu is facing increasing pressure to resolve the rift between its two leadership blocs, which analysts warn is weakening the party’s structure and unsettling its allies.
SHAH ALAM – Bersatu's long-standing conflict between its two leadership blocs must be settled urgently to prevent further instability within the party and across the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, analysts say.
Bersatu is facing increasing pressure to resolve the rift between its two leadership blocs, which analysts warn is weakening the party’s structure and unsettling its allies.
Political analyst Associate Professor Dr Mohd Azhar Abd Hamid said Bersatu members must recognise that internal reform is necessary and that the party needs a renewed, stronger leadership mandate.
“This requires a subtle and instrumental approach so every bloc can accept it. If this core problem is not resolved immediately, not only will Bersatu continue to be turbulent, but other component parties such as Pas and Gerakan will also feel its impact,” he said.
He added that PN must show cohesion, teamwork and firm camaraderie as the coalition prepares for the 16th General Election (GE16).
“Current developments, he said, point to disharmony between parties in the bloc.
“There is a sense of distrust among one another and each tries to highlight their own figures as the main leader.
“This is not a good sign and shows that each party has different goals and appears as though they are not in a united struggle bloc,” he said.
Azhar said internal restructuring within PN, both top-down and bottom-up, is essential to improve communication and ensure the coalition emerges as a stronger opposition force.
He also stressed the need to appoint capable, credible, and youth-inclusive candidates to lead PN into GE16.
“Consensus among component parties is important in naming a poster boy who is capable, credible and charismatic enough to challenge opponents in GE16,” he said.
Meanwhile, political analyst Mohamad Hafis Amat Simin said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin still holds significant influence within PN but noted that his dominance has weakened.
As PN Chairman, he said, Muhyiddin’s experience as a former prime minister places him as the coalition’s central unifying figure and Bersatu’s key representative nationally and internationally.
“He is seen as a figure with high ‘electability’, making him PN’s main hope for the upcoming general election.
“However, it is acknowledged that Bersatu still lacks successor figures on par with Muhyiddin, which could potentially cause PN to lose a strong ‘national face’,” he said.
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