Malay politics shift: Pas strong enough to go solo, says analyst

SHAH ALAM – Pas may no longer require Malay-Muslim political partners to maintain its electoral strength, as the party’s ideological positioning is already resonating with an increasingly conservative Malay-Muslim electorate, according to a political analyst.

Political analyst Dr Oh Ei Sun said Pas' current political identity is sufficient to sustain and even expand its support base, suggesting that additional alliances may offer limited strategic value.

“I don’t think Pas needs any Malay-Muslim partner. Its own conservative, religiously inspired brand is more than enough to attract an enlarging Malay-Muslim electoral ground that is becoming increasingly conservative and religiously inspired,” he said.

He added that instead of strengthening Pas’ appeal, such partnerships could potentially dilute its political messaging and weaken its electoral positioning among core voters.

“Having such a partner would actually detract from its electoral credentials,” he said.

Dr Oh further suggested that Pas could still cooperate with smaller non-Malay-based parties in a limited capacity, particularly in the form of symbolic representation rather than core decision-making roles.

“It can bring along a few non-Malay parties – Gerakan for example – as decorative coattails, to be made senators and placed at unimportant ministry or even no ministerial portfolio at all, when it comes to power after the next general election,” he said.

His remarks come amid ongoing speculation about the future of political alignments within the opposition bloc, particularly Perikatan Nasional (PN), where Pas currently plays a central role alongside Bersatu.

Tensions within PN have been increasingly scrutinised following internal disagreements over leadership direction and seat negotiations, as well as broader questions over whether Malay-based coalitions still require multi-party arrangements to remain electorally competitive.

Pas, which has steadily expanded its parliamentary presence in recent elections, has also benefited from a shifting political landscape where identity politics and religious conservatism continue to play a significant role in voter behaviour.