YAB Perdana Menteri, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim bersama pengunjung yang hadir ke MotoGP 2026 semasa mengadakan tinjauan ke Litar Rasa MADANI di Sepang International Circuit, Selangor. 1 November 2026. FATH RIZAL/Pejabat Perdana Menteri. NO SALES; NO ARCHIVE; RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOTE TO EDITORS: These handout photographs are provided solely for editorial reporting purposes and may be used only for the contemporaneous illustration of the events, subjects, individuals depicted, or facts referenced
PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari has acknowledged that Perikatan Nasional (PN) faces a challenge in finding a candidate capable of taking on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast, the Pasir Mas MP said PN needed to offer a viable alternative to Anwar, who is the face of Pakatan Harapan (PH).
He said he could not deny that the coalition was struggling to identify someone who could give the prime minister “a run for his money”.
Anwar has an edge in image and approach
Fadhli said Anwar had an advantage in terms of image and approach, particularly among younger voters.
He cited the prime minister’s attendance at the recent Malaysian MotoGP championship, where Anwar sat with a group of young people on a grassy field.
Fadhli said the move was effective in shaping public perception and creating a favourable image.
“It is a great gimmick,” he said.
However, he stressed that Anwar’s advantage in image did not necessarily translate into voter support.
He said voters would also assess the country’s economic performance and how it affected their daily lives.
“The people want to know how they benefit, what goes into their pockets,” he said.
Economic performance could be difficult to dismiss
Podcast co-host Shahril Hamdan said Anwar had an advantage in international relations, communication and leadership image, adding that leaders from BN and PN were unable to match him in these areas.
He also pointed to Malaysia’s economic performance and foreign direct investment (FDI) under Anwar’s administration, saying these would be difficult for the two coalitions to dismiss.
Last month, the Finance Ministry raised its projection for real gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2026 to between 4.8% and 5.3%, from the earlier forecast of 4% to 4.5% in the 2026 Budget.
In August, the Department of Statistics Malaysia said FDI had risen to RM1,114.9 billion as of the end of the second quarter of 2026.
