Akademi Nusantara’s Azmi Hassan said the internal rift poses a serious challenge to the stability and cohesion of the broader opposition alliance, pointing to party president Muhyiddin Yassin’s divided focus as a key concern.
“With Bersatu embroiled in these internal conflicts, it is going to be very difficult for Muhyiddin to concentrate on this loose coalition,” he told FMT.
Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani of ADA Southeast Asia said Muhyiddin’s absence or diminished leadership would affect the alliance’s direction and test its ability to move forward.
“He was its key architect. His leadership provides a focal point — a stabilising centre,” he said.
Azmi said any attempt by PAS to assume leadership would only complicate matters, particularly given the Islamic party’s infamy among non-Malay voters, a key demographic the grouping intends to target.
“PAS already makes it difficult for Perikatan Nasional to attract non-Malay votes, so if it were to helm this particular wider coalition, the situation could get worse.”
Asrul said PAS’s polarising ideology and agenda would undoubtedly deter other parties in the loose coalition.
He said Bersatu deputy president and opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin could potentially lead the pact, though he may be similarly weighed down by the party’s internal conflict.
“While PAS enjoys strong grassroots support, this shift could strain relationships with the more pragmatic parties in the coalition, heighten internal tensions and increase the risk of fragmentation within the coalition.”
Asrul said there was no coherent ideology to unite these parties, except for “political pragmatism” arising from shared grievances against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
However, that may not be enough to hold the alliance together, he added.
In July, the PN Supreme Council tasked Muhyiddin with spearheading efforts to build a united opposition front in preparation for the 16th general election (GE16).
On Aug 18, 11 parties outside the government bloc agreed to form a loose coalition to hold the government accountable on governance, economic policy, education and social matters, with Muhyiddin chairing the group.
The alliance is made up of Bersatu, PAS, Gerakan, Pejuang, Muda, the Malaysian Indian People’s Party, Putra, Berjasa, Urimai, the Malaysian Advancement Party and the National Indian Muslim Alliance Party.
Bersatu’s internal turmoil came to light at its annual general assembly last month, when Muhyiddin, during his keynote address, disclosed an apparent attempt to oust him — prompting chants calling for his resignation. The party, however, went on to nominate him as its prime ministerial candidate for GE16.
More recently, Bersatu Supreme Council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan accused party secretary-general Azmin Ali of issuing threats against various division leaders allegedly linked to the plot to oust Muhyiddin.
He also claimed Azmin, widely seen as aligned to Muhyiddin, was unfit to hold a leadership position in the party, as the controversy surrounding an explicit 2019 video which allegedly features him remains unresolved.
On Wednesday, Azmin dismissed the allegations as unsupported by facts, adding that it reflected a “culture of slander” that risks dividing the party.