Labelling party logos as an important form of political branding, Faisal S Hazis said voters might find it difficult to identify with a new logo should the opposition coalition decide to contest under a common logo.
Faisal, who is associate professor at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, said this was especially so in rural areas where some of its components do not have a strong grassroots presence.
“Voters are already familiar with the logos of the PH component parties and it will take time for them to get used to a new common logo for the coalition.
“And time is not on their side. It would be better for Pakatan Harapan to contest under a common logo only in the 15th general election,” Faisal told FMT.
He said this after a forum on multi-cornered contests in GE14.
Faisal, who was responding to a question on whether a common logo would affect voting patterns, cited the time when the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) decided to campaign under its own logo when it went against PKR in 2011.
SNAP had for decades contested under the Barisan Nasional banner before it was deregistered in November 2002 following a serious leadership tussle.
“Voters had difficulty identifying the party’s logo. People were just not aware the logo represented SNAP,” he said.
PH chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad had previously stressed the importance of the opposition pact contesting under one logo arguing that the failure to do so in the past was why it had failed to defeat Barisan Nasional in the polls.
On July 24, the coalition revealed a new logo, featuring the word “Harapan” against a red backdrop, with the central “A” forming a triangular shape.
The Registrar of Societies (RoS) however, instructed PH to change its logo to include PH’s full name in order to have the coalition’s registration approved and formalised.