PETALING JAYA: The upcoming state polls will serve as a litmus test for Muda’s strength as a political party. Analysts suggest that the party, led by former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, may face challenges as it goes up against more established coalitions, including its former ally Pakatan Harapan.
According to political pundits, Muda may not find it easy to secure a win in the Aug 12 state polls. Dr Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar, a political analyst at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), remarked, “Muda is new and will be contesting against established coalitions. It won’t be easy for it to win any seats in the upcoming state elections.”
Dr Tunku Mohar believes that the upcoming elections will truly demonstrate the party’s strength. While he acknowledged that Muda could attract protest votes, he emphasized that this alone would not be sufficient for the party to secure a seat. However, he did mention the possibility of Muda gaining support from disenchanted Pakatan voters.
Muda’s appeal lies in its promise for swift reforms. Dr Tunku Mohar stated, “Muda’s appeal would be to those voters who want reforms to be instituted without delay.”
Meanwhile, an adviser at the Pacific Research Center of Malaysia and Senior Fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs highlighted that while Perikatan Nasional and Pakatan are expected to fiercely compete for seats, Muda could potentially divert votes away from Pakatan. He cautioned that although the vote split would likely be negligible, it could cost Pakatan its seats and thus is a cause of concern for the coalition.
The adviser remarked, “They (Muda) are likely to attract a small number of votes, but perhaps not enough to win them seats or even to keep their deposits.”
When asked about Muda’s survival without Pakatan, the adviser expressed doubts, implying that the party is heavily reliant on Pakatan’s support. However, he also noted that Muda seeks autonomy and aims to establish its own identity rather than aligning itself with PKR or DAP.
Dr Azmil Mohd Tayeb, a senior lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia, suggested that Muda has the potential to become a third force by providing disgruntled Pakatan supporters with an alternative party to vote for. He drew a parallel, saying, “Muda to Pakatan is like Perikatan to Umno.”
Syed Saddiq previously stated that the decision to contest independently in the state polls was driven by a desire to be “the voice of conscience of the people.” Muda intends to contest less than 10% of the state seats in the upcoming elections. In the past, the party participated in the GE15 and the Johor state polls in 2022, forming an alliance with Pakatan. However, out of the six seats it contested in GE15, Muda only managed to secure the Muar parliamentary seat, with Syed Saddiq successfully defending his position for a second term.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
