Analyst warns Bersatu will lose relevance if it stays in PN

According to Asia Group analyst Asrul Sani, Bersatu’s prolonged attachment to the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition is jeopardising its future, as the alliance no longer provides a forward-looking platform. He points out that PAS has formally ended its relationship with Bersatu and that the party Wawasan has effectively taken over as the preferred Malay nationalist ally. Recent moves, such as the Kangar committee’s leadership and the exodus of 90 branch chiefs to Wawasan, followed by Deputy Chairman Ramzi Udi and 19 others quitting over leadership grievances, highlight growing unrest.

Sani warns that remaining in PN could trigger further resignations, weaken grassroots morale, and leave Bersatu tangled in ongoing seat-distribution disputes, while PAS and Wawasan consolidate their political space. Although exiting PN would strip Bersatu of the coalition brand and PAS’s grassroots machinery, it could also open opportunities to rebuild its identity, forge new partnerships, and focus on realistic electoral targets. He stresses that without a clear, broader strategy, Bersatu risks becoming politically irrelevant.