They said the political landscape had shifted since former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad urged Malay opposition parties to contest under a unified platform, in an effort to advocate for Malay interests under one “big umbrella”.
The falling out between Muhyiddin and Hamzah, stemming from Bersatu’s internal crisis, has cast doubt on the plan’s viability, said Syaza Shukri of the International Islamic University Malaysia.
Syaza said Mahathir’s proposal was aimed at avoiding multi-cornered fights and boosting the chances of defeating major coalitions such as Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional.
She said Hamzah appears open to maintaining cooperation within Perikatan Nasional, “but Muhyiddin’s willingness will be a key factor in determining whether broader unity can be achieved”.
The issue resurfaced after former Melaka chief minister Rahim Tamby Chik revealed that Mahathir, at a meeting on April 17, stressed that Malay opposition parties should not contest independently or under separate banners in elections.
According to him, Mahathir fears such a scenario would lead to defeats, and that all parties should instead unite under a single “big umbrella”.
Hamzah, who is also the Larut MP, was expelled from Bersatu in February following a leadership crisis involving Muhyiddin.
He later declared Muhyiddin his “No 1 enemy”, while Muhyiddin said he would block Hamzah’s return to PN.
Syaza said although many voters claim to base their choices on policies and ideas, ethnic considerations remain significant in voting patterns.
“Among younger voters, considerations may be more balanced, but we cannot deny that ethnic factors remain highly significant,” she said in explaining Mahathir’s “big umbrella” proposal.
Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said issues of race and religion continue to shape voter support in the country.
He said coalitions or parties that successfully control this narrative, through concepts such as the “big umbrella”, stand to gain greater support, particularly in Peninsular Malaysia.
“Whoever uses these issues effectively will be able to attract certain voter groups,” he said.