Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid said these voter segments were initially drawn to the party by reform-minded leaders such as Saifuddin Abdullah and Wan Saiful Wan Jan.
Both MPs were aligned with former Bersatu deputy president Hamzah Zainudin and, like him, have since been expelled from the party.
“(Bersatu president) Muhyiddin Yassin, who is pushing 80, can no longer take on the new political landscape set by this group of leaders. He’s still employing the old approach of political patronage a la Umno,” he told FMT.
Fauzi said that since the removal of Hamzah and other key leaders, Bersatu has struggled to project itself as a progressive and inclusive nationalist party—one that could complement the more conservative PAS.
Despite its weaknesses, he said the party should put together an inclusive vision to win the hearts and minds of professionals and youths, in preparation for the next general election (GE16).
“Even Umno realises this (old style of political patronage) doesn’t work anymore, as proven by the return of Khairy Jamaluddin, who is full of innovative ideas and a deep understanding on global politics.
“Based on comments made by several PAS leaders, it’s quite clear most of them prefer Hamzah and that his group should be given the chance to join Perikatan Nasional.”
Fauzi was responding after Terengganu Bersatu chief Razali Idris stressed the need for Bersatu and PAS to continue cooperating and complementing each other’s strengths.
Razali said Bersatu is still capable of attracting fence-sitters, professionals and young voters to complement PAS’s extensive election campaign experience and formidable machinery.
Fauzi, however, dismissed the claim, saying Razali was merely trying to cover up Bersatu’s diminished support.
Bersatu ‘more or less finished’ with Muhyiddin at helm
James Chin of the University of Tasmania said Bersatu now stands at a critical juncture, running out of time in its bid to regain Malay support, particularly if GE16 is called this year.
He said a change in leadership would be the quickest way to give Bersatu a shot in the arm after several years of grappling with internal tussles and tensions.
“Bersatu is more or less finished unless they can replace Muhyiddin with another leader,” he said.
Chin said Bersatu’s downfall began when Muhyiddin announced his intention to step down as party president, before going back on his decision the following day.
He said Muhyiddin would have injected fresh energy and a clearer sense of direction into the party by stepping aside at that point and handing over the baton to the next generation — whether to Hamzah or current Bersatu secretary‑general Azmin Ali.
“But now Bersatu is in a very tough spot,” he added.
In the Bersatu elections two years ago, Muhyiddin was yet again retained as party president by being re-elected unopposed.
Hamzah was elected Bersatu deputy president as part of a deal arranged by Muhyiddin, who convinced then deputy president Ahmad Faizal Azumu to go for one of the three vice-president’s posts instead.
Hamzah and other leaders aligned with him were sacked by Bersatu in February after purportedly pushing for Muhyiddin to step down as party president.