The alliance between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) is likely to stay strong despite Puchong Umno’s move to cut ties with its PH counterpart over a DAP leader’s comments on Najib Razak’s house arrest bid.
Analyst Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri from Global Asia Consulting said any decision by BN to end the federal-level cooperation with PH would not come quickly.
Umno, the backbone of BN, has few choices for the next general election: contest alone, or partner with Perikatan Nasional (PN) or PAS.
Limited Alternatives for Umno
Cooperating with PN would not solve issues, as the coalition faces its own challenges, including the recent Perlis crisis and disagreements over the prime ministerial candidate for the upcoming election.
The most realistic path for Umno is to stay in the unity government while adopting a firmer stance to reassure its grassroots supporters.
Leaving the unity government could see Umno lose influence and become sidelined, he added.
Puchong Umno’s Decision
Puchong Umno announced on Saturday that it would sever ties with PH locally, triggered by DAP MP Yeo Bee Yin’s refusal to apologise for her remarks on Najib’s unsuccessful house arrest application.
Division secretary Yusof Yassin stated there would be no further political cooperation between Umno or BN and PH in the Puchong parliamentary seat, as well as Seri Serdang and Seri Kembangan state seats.
The division will now function independently, and any support for a PH candidate in future by-elections or general elections would be conditional, if offered at all.
Triggering Remarks
Yeo posted on Facebook describing the High Court’s rejection of Najib’s judicial review as “another reason to celebrate this year end.”
Her words angered Umno leaders, with secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki suggesting it might be time to reassess cooperation with parties that undervalue Umno’s role.
Symbolic Move at Local Level
Analyst Syaza Shukri from International Islamic University Malaysia agreed that the Puchong decision would not affect BN-PH relations at the federal level.
Ties among top leaders in the government remain solid.
The local severance is largely symbolic, allowing Umno to demonstrate firmness on the Najib issue without risking the stability of the unity government, she said.
