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SHAH ALAM – Political analysts believe Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) is approaching the Johor state election with realistic expectations, focusing on establishing its political identity and gauging voter support rather than seeking an immediate electoral breakthrough against the dominant Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalitions.
Led by Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Bersama is contesting 15 of the 56 State Legislative Assembly seats but faces considerable challenges, including limited grassroots machinery and intense competition from more established political parties.
Ilham Centre chief executive Hisommudin Bakar said it is still too early to classify Bersama as a minor party, as it remains uncertain whether the newly formed party can emerge as a significant political force.
He added that Bersama's greatest strength lies in the social media influence of Rafizi and Nik Nazmi, but cautioned that online popularity alone is unlikely to translate into electoral success.
"Johor's political landscape operates very differently from the Klang Valley. Social media is important, but it must be backed by a strong grassroots machinery.
"As of nomination day, I have yet to see any figure capable of creating a major impact. I was expecting perhaps a well-known influencer, but most of the candidates are ordinary individuals,” he told Sinar.
He identified the party's greatest challenge as persuading voters in the 15 constituencies it is contesting, particularly first-time voters aged between 18 and 20 who have yet to develop firm political loyalties.
According to him, Bersama is also racing against time to build its organisational strength, unlike BN, PH and Perikatan Nasional (PN), all of which already possess extensive grassroots networks.
"An election is not just about campaigning on social media. It depends on the ability of the party machinery to mobilise supporters to vote and ensure every polling stream has party workers.
"That is the biggest challenge Bersama has to overcome. If Bersama contests in Chinese-majority and mixed constituencies, the first votes likely to be affected are PH's votes.
"So far, we have yet to see a surge in support or an extraordinary public response towards Bersama,” he mentioned.
A similar assessment was shared by International Islamic University Malaysia political science lecturer Associate Professor Dr Syaza Farhana Mohamad Shukri, who said Bersama's participation appears to be centred on long-term political brand-building and promoting its reform agenda.
"Although social media is important, the strength of grassroots machinery remains the key factor in determining electoral victory, while Malaysia's electoral system makes it much more challenging for new parties to win,” she told Sinar.
