Pollster Merdeka Center said the Malay opposition party which once dominated politics for more than six decades should instead adopt a more inclusive image by appealing to all races, adding that it would help towards the formation of a viable two-coalition system.
Executive director Ibrahim Suffian said there were signs the Malay community seemed to welcome the changes under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government.
“The zero-rating of the GST is certainly an important factor that will build the support of Malay voters for the government,” he told FMT, adding that reforms of the civil service will also be keenly observed.
PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man recently offered to work together with Umno. Meanwhile, Umno’s Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said both parties should cooperate to defend Malay rights.
Political analyst Kamarul Zaman Yusoff said an Umno-PAS pact was significant as the parties still enjoy support of the Malays.
He said Malays could shift towards Umno and PAS if they felt the PH government was undermining their position of the Malays as spelt out in the constitution.
“People will come back to Umno and PAS which are known as parties that have lifted the Malays’ rights if PH fails to do that,” he said.
“Plus, based on the recent general election, people voted for PH because they did not want Najib Razak – not because they did not want Umno or wanted PH,” he added.
But he said it would be a challenge for PAS and Umno to get support from non-Malays, most of whom support PH.
He said a future Umno-PAS collaboration would also depend on whether Umno wanted to be more Islamist.