This is because it is not as strong as the other parties in the coalition, PAS Research Centre director Mohd Zuhdi Marzuki said today.
He said the party, formed as a PAS splinter in September 2015, wielded influence in fewer areas compared with the other component parties.
“To me, it is warranted that it got only 27 seats, being the small party that it is.”
He spoke to reporters after a lecture by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang at the Kolej Universiti Islam Zulkifli Muhammad in Taman Melewar here today.
Zuhdi said although Amanah had several well-known political personalities, they were not supported by a strong party machinery.
“They were strong only while they were in PAS and PAS was the one which bolstered them.”
He claimed that Amanah president Mohamad Sabu (popularly known as Mat Sabu) and deputy president Salahuddin Ayub lost their lustre when they quit PAS.
PH had announced the seat allocation agreement for Peninsular Malaysia during its convention on Jan 7, with PPBM assigned 52 seats, PKR 51, DAP 35 and Amanah 27.
PH chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad had also paid special tribute to Mat Sabu for his party’s “generosity”, saying it was Amanah that had made the seat allocation negotiations a success.
The decision, however, caused disappointment among the ranks of Amanah, with the party’s Johor state chief, Aminolhuda Hassan, saying justice was not done to them.
Amanah was allocated only two seats in Johor — in Pulai and Parit Sulong.
“We are one of the pillars for Pakatan in Johor. Before this, Johor had been declared as the front state for Amanah.
“Now, with Pakatan’s allocations, Johor has become the front state for PPBM, no longer Amanah,” Aminolhuda had said.
Zuhdi said he believed the decision by the PH presidential council was made after recognising that Amanah would not be able to draw Muslim votes as effectively as PAS could.
“Between PKR and Amanah, PKR is actually stronger in attracting Malay votes,” he claimed.
After the PH decision on allocation of seats, Mat Sabu had said the big sacrifice was done in order to save the opposition coalition.
“We want PH to be a success and we do not want any obstruction to our success.
“This is only Parliament and we will ask for more when we negotiate state seats,” he added.