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A SENIOR PAS leader has suggested that the party may need to consider moving independently from Bersatu in future elections, signalling growing strain within the opposition alliance ahead of the next general election.
However, PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari stressed that while electoral cooperation may no longer be necessary, both parties could still maintain cordial relations outside the political arena.
In a pointed remark shared on social media, he said: “You can find political friends who are clearer in hearing, clearer in sight and stronger in the sense of smell. Good luck.”
His comments come amid escalating tensions following remarks attributed to Bersatu leaders, including a widely circulated video of a speech by party secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali in Melaka, in which he reportedly suggested that claims Bersatu lacked an election machinery were unfounded.
Fadhli said such statements reflected deeper problems in the relationship between the two parties, arguing that denial of organisational weaknesses would only undermine political cooperation.
He said: “When there are voices from Bersatu saying that anyone claiming the party has no machinery is ‘deaf’, then that also means there is no longer hope for harmonious cooperation.”
He added that while it was not inherently problematic for a political party to face organisational limitations, honesty about such weaknesses was essential.
“It is not a mistake if a party has no machinery. That is especially understandable if it is a new party, but the problem arises when there is a failure to acknowledge that weakness and smallness.
“When denial of that reality happens, the actions that follow are based on the belief of constant strength, whereas the reality is otherwise clearly visible,” he said.
Fadhli further argued that efforts to strengthen party structures would be acceptable if undertaken constructively, but warned that prolonged internal disorganisation could instead reflect deeper strategic failures.
“There is nothing wrong if a lack of machinery in Bersatu is followed by efforts to strengthen the party.
“But if, over the years after the election, there is only continuous infighting, then it is not strengthening the party. It is merely a process of preparing personal supporters to become candidates and then leveraging the strength of a partner party,” he said.
He also questioned Bersatu’s electoral strategy, suggesting that despite contesting a larger number of seats within coalitions, the party had not consistently translated that into electoral success.
“This results in them contesting more seats than their coalition partners, but often failing to win more. It is the outcome of inaccurate analysis and assessment,” he said.
Fadhli warned that recent developments, including internal disputes in Perlis and Negeri Sembilan, could signal deeper instability in the cooperation between the two parties.
He raised the possibility that post-election coalition arrangements after the 16th General Election (PRU16) could shift significantly, including the formation of a federal government without existing alliances.
“After GE16, will there be separate considerations in forming the Federal Government?” he said.
His remarks reflect growing unease within parts of the opposition bloc, as parties begin to position themselves ahead of an expectedly competitive general election that is widely seen as reshaping Malaysia’s political alliances. - May 31, 2026
