14/09/2026

MONDAY | SEPT 14, 2026

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PAS rejects call for Terengganu polls

Awang Azman said Umno appears less interested in finding a political bloc to shelter it and more focused on deciding which partnerships could maximise its electoral prospects. – ADAM AMIR

Ű BY THESUN TEAM

excludes PH. Syaza said Anwar would probably try to extend the current government for as long as possible, but Umno also had reasons to delay making any final decision until its negotiations with PAS became clearer. “I disagree with Zahid’s challenge,” she said, referring to the Umno president’s call for those who wanted to end the arrangement to act quickly. “A motion of no confidence should come from outside PH. If he’s serious, he should do it. Without that, it’s all talk.” However, she said the political calculations could change once Umno and PAS reached a concrete agreement. “Maybe if they can come to a concrete agreement, they might pull the trigger in the middle of next year.” – By Harith Kamal PETALING JAYA: PAS has rejected Umno’s call for a state election in Terengganu to test the sincerity of their political cooperation, saying elections should not be used as a measure of trust between parties. PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said there was no reason to dissolve the Terengganu legislative assembly as the state government remains stable. “An election is not a tool to measure the sincerity of political cooperation. It is a mandate from the people.” He added that voters should not be subjected to the political pressure and cost of an election when there was no compelling reason for one. Tuan Ibrahim was responding to Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who proposed that one of the four SG4 states hold an election to test the party’s commitment to Malay unity and cooperation with Umno. “Let us try to see how sincere our friends are. We ask one of their states to hold an election. You hold an election, I want to see what formula you use. Do it in Terengganu,” Mohamad said in his winding-up speech at the 2026 Umno General Assembly yesterday. He said such an exercise would show whether both sides were genuinely prepared to work together rather than merely seeking political advantage. “If you are sincere, then let us do it together. If you want to follow the plan, one for you, one for me.” Tuan Ibrahim said the formula used in Negeri Sembilan, in which parties retained seats they had won while negotiating over seats they had not, offered a better model for cooperation. He added that the previous state elections in Johor and Negeri Sembilan were held because circumstances warranted them or their terms had matured. He also said dissolving Parliament would be more appropriate if a fresh national mandate was needed. Umno was wiped out in the 2023 Terengganu state election, winning none of the 32 state seats. It also lost all eight parliamentary constituencies in the state in the 2022 general election. Umno Kuala Nerus division chief and former Terengganu menteri besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman has also urged party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to tread carefully in negotiations with PAS. “Think carefully, Datuk Seri. Otherwise, we may end up with 40-0 again,” he said, adding that any deal must ensure both sides benefit.

HAMZAH / THESUN

Umno resurgence tied to political scenario: Analysts

Awang Azman said with its president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi backing a “sincerity test” for its “new friends” in PAS, the party is now looking to test whether the two sides could work together at state level before taking the cooperation further. International Islamic University Malaysia political analyst and Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute fellow Assoc Prof Dr Syaza Shukri said the party’s growing confidence was also reflected in its increasingly open consideration of a future without PH. “I believe the recent speeches, especially by Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, show that Umno is now serious about thinking about a future without PH. “Before this, Zahid was coy about it. But now, I think it’s clear that the Unity government is nearing (the end of) its shelf life and the next configuration is PAS-BN without a doubt.” She added that therefore, Umno’s resurgence does not necessarily signal a return to its pre-GE14 political dominance. She said instead, the party appears to have regained something arguably more important in a fragmented political landscape – bargaining power. She also said Umno retains its own machinery, a continuing electoral base and enough political weight to consider several possible routes to GE16. Syaza said with PH facing its own problems, Umno now appears increasingly confident that it could negotiate from a position of strength rather than simply seek a place within another political bloc. arrangement with PH. He added that seat allocation would be a major stumbling block, particularly as Umno increasingly seeks room to cooperate with PAS. “Malacca will be the first test or the next test in this particular issue because it is very, very obvious that Barisan don’t want to go solo.” Azmi said Umno should instead be expected to pursue its own interests or work with other political forces before GE16. He said this could create an unusual situation for the Unity government, adding that the administration could remain intact while the parties within it prepare for different electoral battles. He also said Umno could continue supporting the government in Parliament while simultaneously negotiating with PAS and considering a post-GE16 arrangement that

He added that PH’s difficulties had given Umno an opening that would have been harder to imagine after the party’s historic defeat in GE14. However, Universiti Malaya sociopolitical analyst Prof Datuk Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said Umno’s improved position is also rooted in assets that survived its years in political decline. He added that the 2026 Umno General Assembly marked a shift from a party searching for political allies to one trying to determine the formula most likely to return it to power. “Umno has moved from asking ‘who are our friends?’ to ‘what formula can help us win?’” he said, adding that the distinction was significant. He also said Umno may no longer possess the overwhelming dominance it enjoyed before GE14 but it retains an established nationwide organisation, electoral machinery and years of governing experience. Awang Azman said the party’s improved performance in several state elections had further strengthened its negotiating position. He added that the result is an Umno that appears less interested in finding a political bloc to shelter it and more focused on deciding which partnerships could maximise its electoral prospects. He also said that has changed how the party approaches PAS. He said rather than immediately committing to a formal coalition, Umno appears to be exploring cooperation that could be adapted to individual states and constituencies. electoral partner. Syaza said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should instead focus on strengthening his relationship with East Malaysian coalitions Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah if he wants to counter a possible PAS-BN alignment. “It won’t be easy, but he has to figure out how to counter PAS-BN.” Nusantara Academy of Strategic Research senior fellow Prof Dr Azmi Hassan went further in assessing the future of the PH-BN relationship. “I would say the Pakatan-Barisan alliance is not on borrowed time, but I think it’s already over.” He said Malacca could provide the next indication of whether Umno is prepared to abandon any expectation of a pre-election

o ‘Prior governing experience and improved performance at state polls among key factors’

Ű BY HARITH KAMAL

PETALING JAYA: Eight years after losing federal power for the first time in its history, Umno is once again speaking from a position of confidence, with analysts saying its resurgence has less to do with a return to its old dominance than the growing weaknesses of its rivals. Its call for an earlier general election at the 2026 Umno General Assembly reflects a calculation that the political tide may be shifting in its favour, particularly as Pakatan Harapan (PH) grapples with internal problems and the Unity government faces growing public dissatisfaction. Nusantara Academy of Strategic Research senior fellow Prof Dr Azmi Hassan said Umno was right to push for an earlier election as the party was currently benefitting from positive momentum. “Umno is strong at the position relative to PH, as PH has its own internal problem that just is not being resolved.” Azmi pointed to issues, including DAP losses and the question of succession within PKR, while also saying Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was “most probably” not as popular as before.

‘Unity govt partnership in doldrums’ PETALING JAYA: The Unity government may survive until GE16 but the political partnership between Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) seems to be in dire straits, analysts say.

International Islamic University Malaysia political analyst and Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute fellow Assoc Prof Dr Syaza Shukri said Umno’s increasingly open discussion of a future without PH suggested the relationship had moved beyond ordinary political bargaining. She added that the Unity government was politically incapacitated, although it remained in place for now and could continue functioning until Parliament is dissolved. Her assessment comes as Umno increasingly signals it is preparing for a different political configuration, with PAS emerging as its most obvious potential