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SHAH ALAM – Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) endured a disastrous outing in the 16th Negeri Sembilan state election after failing to win a single seat.
The Malay-based party, which contested under its own banner despite maintaining informal ties with the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition, was defeated in key constituencies by candidates from Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Political analyst Professor Datuk Dr Ismail Sualman said the outcome underscored Bersatu's increasing isolation in Malaysia's political landscape.
Following Pas' decision on June 8 to sever ties with the party and support BN candidates in constituencies where PN was not contesting, Bersatu was left to contest 24 of the state's 36 seats on its own.
The move, he said, resulted in direct contests between Bersatu and its former ally in Serting, Paroi, Bagan Pinang and Ampangan, mirroring the party's disappointing performance in the Johor state election, where it failed to secure any of the 16 seats it contested.
Ismail said Bersatu was now caught between a resurgent Umno and a dominant Pas, while lacking both Pas' extensive grassroots machinery and Umno's longstanding reputation as a governing party.
Although party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has attempted to position Bersatu as the country's principal opposition force, Ismail said the strategy had failed to gain traction.
"Yes, Muhyiddin has become a liability for Bersatu," he said.
He added that the party was trapped in a difficult position, as retaining Muhyiddin could prolong its decline, while replacing him could further weaken the party's foundations.
Following Muhyiddin's decision to remove former deputy president Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and 16 other leaders in February, Ismail said potential successors, including Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, lacked the necessary grassroots support to unify the party.
According to Ismail, contesting independently under the present political climate amounted to "political suicide", particularly as Umno and Pas had effectively marginalised Bersatu.
He said the party's most realistic options were to form a new political alliance, rejoin Umno or face a gradual dissolution similar to Parti Pejuang Tanah Air.
Echoing those views, political analyst Associate Professor Dr Mazlan Ali described Bersatu's performance in Negeri Sembilan as deeply disappointing and a warning sign for the party's future.
"Bersatu's performance is very disappointing. The party appears unable to compete effectively in the Negeri Sembilan election," he said.
Mazlan said the party remained heavily dependent on Muhyiddin's leadership and personal influence despite his lengthy tenure at the helm.
"The results clearly show that Bersatu cannot face Malaysia's political landscape alone.
"At the same time, the party no longer has a future within PN after being rejected by Pas. Bersatu must seek a new political alignment and explore broader cooperation, including with PH, if it hopes to remain relevant," he said.
Mazlan added that Bersatu's long-term survival would depend on its ability to rebuild alliances and redefine its political direction.
