Syaza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia said PAS had “more or less reached its peak”.

And while the party had the potential to win a few more seats in Pahang and Selangor, it would struggle to win in the southern states, she said.

Syaza said even if PAS won 50 seats, it would not be enough to form the government.

She said the party would still need to join forces with others, which was why it had been trying to engage Umno, MCA and MIC as well as the ruling coalitions in Sabah and Sarawak.

“It is clearly aware of this reality. So, in order to form a government, PAS would have to ‘moderate’ itself.

“That’s why I’ve always told people that even if PAS were to form a government, it wouldn’t necessarily be that bad. It’s not something we should fear.”

Syaza said this at a conference organised by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, a think tank, here.

She was responding to a question on the impact of PAS going solo at the next nationwide polls.

In January, PAS spiritual leader Hashim Jasin proposed for the party to go solo in the 16th general election if the impasse over the appointment of a new Perikatan Nasional chairman remained.

He said the issue had lingered for too long and that PAS, on its own strength, was capable of performing well, especially in the four states it currently controlled.

Last week, a former aide to Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party were opposed to a PAS leader taking over as PN chairman after Muhyiddin’s resignation on Jan 1, citing concerns over its “hardline” image.