A proposal to name Parti Wawasan Negara president Hamzah Zainudin as the prime ministerial candidate could create tensions between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN), according to political analysts.
They said the suggestion could undermine cooperation between the two coalitions, which currently have an understanding not to field candidates against each other in this weekend’s Negeri Sembilan election.
The analysts likened the proposal by Wawasan secretary-general Saifuddin Abdullah to reopening unresolved issues between BN and PN, particularly after BN rejected an earlier proposal to name their political pact Perikatan Barisan Nasional (PBN), an idea previously put forward by Hamzah.
They also noted that PN election director Sanusi Nor’s remarks about Tanah Melayu had already prompted BN to take steps to prevent an erosion of non-Malay support.
Too early to discuss a prime ministerial candidate
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia political analyst Mazlan Ali said it was premature to discuss a prime ministerial candidate.
He noted that beyond the Negeri Sembilan election, there are no confirmed plans for BN and PN to extend their cooperation to the next general election, which is due by February 2028.
Mazlan said Saifuddin’s proposal, raised during a recent podcast, could trigger friction between the two coalitions.
He said BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was unlikely to support the proposal, despite the Umno president saying that Hamzah’s ambition should be respected.
According to Mazlan, Zahid’s remark wishing Hamzah “good luck” may have been made sarcastically.
He added that Umno would not concede the prime minister’s post to another coalition unless that coalition secured more parliamentary seats.
Mazlan also pointed out that PN itself had previously faced difficulties in reaching a consensus on its own prime ministerial candidate.
“If agreement has been difficult within PN alone, bringing BN into the equation could create an entirely new conflict,” he said.
Trust remains a key challenge
Global Asia Consulting political analyst Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri said discussions over a prime ministerial candidate have always been among the most sensitive issues when political alliances are formed.
He said BN was unlikely to accept any candidate proposed by PN without question, as both coalitions have different political aspirations and interests.
Zaharuddin said the earlier debate over the proposed PBN name reflected an underlying lack of trust between the two sides.
He added that naming a prime ministerial candidate too early could reopen old tensions.
Alliance strength will determine its stability
International Islamic University Malaysia political analyst Zainal Abidin Sanusi took a different view, saying that proposing a new face should not undermine cooperation if the alliance is built on strong principles.
“If a proposal causes cracks within an alliance, then the problem is not the proposal itself. It simply shows the alliance is based on a struggle for power rather than principle,” he said.
He also argued that any party rushing to announce its prime ministerial candidate is likely to be the weakest component within the coalition.
