PAS has demonstrated its political agility by renewing its alliance with Umno after ending its cooperation with Bersatu, a move that reflects the party’s long-term strategy to strengthen its position within the Malay-Muslim political landscape, according to political analysts.
Singapore Institute of International Affairs analyst Oh Ei Sun said PAS has emerged as a major political force in recent years and is aiming to play a leading role among Malay-Muslim voters.
However, he believes the party recognises that it is not yet in a position to dominate the broader Malay-Muslim political arena, making cooperation with Umno a practical strategy.
Strategic timing behind PAS-Umno pact
Oh said PAS has shown political maturity by knowing when to pursue leadership and when to work alongside other parties.
He noted that when PAS believed the timing was right to take over the leadership of Perikatan Nasional (PN), it did not hesitate to part ways with Muhyiddin Yassin and Bersatu before assuming the coalition’s chairmanship.
Likewise, he said PAS now appears to believe that cooperation with Umno is the better option rather than seeking overall leadership of the Malay-Muslim political bloc.
“I think PAS is simply being politically astute and adroit. It knows it is not yet the right time to assume overall political leadership of the Malay-Muslim community,” he said.
Oh also pointed to PAS’s willingness to rebuild ties with Umno despite the collapse of previous collaborations, including Muafakat Nasional.
“Why not another pact? And if they were to part ways again, no hard feelings, just as PAS said to Muhyiddin. Nowadays, you have to assume that everything is possible in politics,” he added.
Growing influence but limits remain
PAS has increased its parliamentary representation from 18 seats in 2018 to 43 seats, making it the largest single party in the Dewan Rakyat.
The party has also strengthened its position in the Malay heartland, leading the state governments of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, while making gains in Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan during the 2023 state elections.
Earlier this month, PAS ended its political cooperation with Bersatu after months of tensions, although both remain members of PN.
PAS-led PN and Barisan Nasional have since reached an electoral understanding for the Negeri Sembilan state election, agreeing not to contest against each other in any of the 36 seats.
PAS has previously formed political alliances with several parties, including the Pakatan Rakyat coalition with PKR and DAP between 2008 and 2015.
PAS still needs political partners
Akademi Nusantara analyst Azmi Hassan said PAS’s latest cooperation with Umno indicates that the party’s strongest support remains concentrated in Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis.
He said PAS understands that it cannot contest alone at this stage, particularly if it hopes to expand support beyond its limited non-Malay voter base.
“One thing is for sure: PAS cannot lead outside the four states it governs. At this particular juncture, it sees BN as its best bet, since Bersatu has its own internal problems, which have been detrimental to PN,” he said.
Meanwhile, Oh said political alliances formed out of necessity are likely to remain a feature of Malaysian politics as the increasingly fragmented political landscape continues to produce closely contested elections.
