News analysis
PAS and UMNO are set to propose a Malay unity pact, but can they settle their seat disputes?
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UMNO (red and white flag) leads the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and PAS (green and white flag) the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.
PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
- PAS and UMNO plan to formalise their cooperation into a Malay unity pact for the general election, building on successes in Johor and Negeri Sembilan.
- Negotiations over seat allocations remain difficult, especially in central states where both parties compete for dominance.
- UMNO has more leverage due to multiple options, but seat disputes may not be resolved before their upcoming party assemblies.
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KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s two largest Malay-Muslim parties, Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) and UMNO, are convening in September to decide whether their rekindled political cooperation can be formalised into a full-blown alliance for the impending general election, due by early 2028.
Their cooperation has already yielded handsome returns at the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state polls in July and August. By making way for each other, the two parties combined their support bases to dominate the Malay-Muslim vote.
