Ilham Centre’s Hisommudin Bakar said Umno cannot expect to regain Malay support in Kedah simply by going solo but must also show that it has capable leaders in its ranks.

He said Umno must understand the factors that led to its wipeout in the last state election and build on the areas that would attract Malay voters who previously backed Perikatan Nasional (PN).

“Selecting competent and credible candidates is crucial, as voters are increasingly focused on the individual and not just the party.

“Kedah Umno must also present a state leader or ‘poster boy’ capable of rivaling Sanusi’s influence, who currently has an advantage in terms of visibility and leadership narrative,” he told FMT.

Kedah Umno information chief Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin had recently called for the party to contest solo in the next state election, as he pushed for the party to break away from the existing alliance with Pakatan Harapan (PH).

PH and the Umno-led Barisan Nasional had joined forces in the 2023 Kedah polls but were able to win only three seats, with PKR securing two and DAP one.

Led by PAS, PN dominated the state election by winning 33 seats as Sanusi was appointed to a second term as Kedah menteri besar.

Going solo unrealistic

On the other hand, Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri of Global Asia Consulting said the idea of going solo was inconsistent with current political realities.

While Kedah Umno may be seeking to shed the “UmDAP” label meant to criticise its cooperation with DAP, he said the party was not capable of standing on its own in the northern state.

“The data shows that Umno’s support remains weak and going solo risks repeating the results of the 2023 state election,” Zaharuddin said.

He added that using “local sentiment” alone to determine Umno’s direction was insufficient without a strong machinery, credible candidates, and state leadership capable of rivaling PN’s influence.