Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid and Syaza Shukri of the International Islamic University Malaysia said Bersama is likely to target specific leaders instead of going on a carpet-bombing, anti-PH campaign.
Syaza added that the party is likely to maintain good relations with DAP in particular since the PH component has been vocal on pushing for reforms, especially after its drubbing in the Sabah state election in November.
Despite Rafizi’s enmity with PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, she said, Bersama appears reform-centric and is more aligned with PH’s policies compared with Perikatan Nasional and Barisan Nasional’s ideologies.
As such, she said, there is a stronger likelihood of Bersama and Rafizi working with PH again compared with other parties after elections, provided it wins seats.
“Would they work with PN after elections? I don’t think so. I think they would follow Muda and be in opposition but support PH policies if it aligns with theirs.
“I see Rafizi and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad as being pragmatic and willing to work with anyone who shares their vision,” she told FMT.
Fauzi said he expected the party to target certain leaders identified as close allies of Anwar, such as PKR vice-president R Ramanan, whom Rafizi had already attacked even when still in PKR.
He believes Bersama’s most immediate goal, more than anything, would be to deny Anwar a second term as prime minister, adding that the party would seek to paint the prime minister as a dithering reformist.
“For long term political survival, it can hope for sympathetic figures from PKR, Amanah and DAP to jump ship to join Bersama. People like Akmal Nasir perhaps, whose connection to Rafizi and Nik Nazmi is traceable to their alma mater, the Malay College Kuala Kangsar.”
On Monday, Rafizi said those who choose to leave or remain in PKR should not treat each other as enemies as he did not want his departure to Bersama to be turned into a zero-sum game.
The former economy minister said he still had many friends in the party and would not take it personally if they chose to remain there.
Nonetheless, he said, Bersama is gunning for the same segment of voters that make up the bulk of PH’s support: progressive-minded voters.
Rafizi’s Bersama seeks ‘utopian aspirations’
Fauzi said it would be unlikely for Bersama to reach any pact with PN despite both opposing Anwar. He pointed to the ideologies of Rafizi and Nik Nazmi, which he described as idealistic and heavily contradicting PN’s.
“Theirs is a party seeking utopian aspirations, not seeking to form a government grounded in the actual realities of Malaysian lives,” he said, pointing to Bersama’s overarching agenda, which is published on its website.
“For instance, in order to achieve its targeted doctor to population ratio of 1:300, it might have to allow foreign doctors in, but this would contradict its proposed limit of only 5% of foreigners in the country’s workforce.
“With Muhyiddin Yassin’s Malay-first temperament, a pact between PN and the avowedly multiracial Bersama is very unlikely,” Fauzi added.