Umno needs reality check, analyst says on SG4 seat demand

Umno needs a reality check as the Barisan Nasional (BN) lynchpin is in no position to demand a third of the seats in the four PAS-dominated states known as the SG4, a political analyst says.

Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said Umno must accept that it has little bargaining power in this regard, and that continuing to make such big demands could affect its cooperation with PAS.

Mazlan said PAS could easily retain control of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis without Umno.

“Umno needs to be aware of its own capabilities and limitations. It needs a reality check,” he told FMT.

He said PAS might find it hard to accept Umno Supreme Council member Nur Jazlan Mohamed’s demand for Umno to be given a third of the seats in the four states, which would jeopardise efforts to forge closer ties between the country’s two largest Malay-Muslim parties.

Mazlan also said the demand appeared unreasonable as BN has insisted on defending the 21 state seats it won in 2021 in the upcoming Melaka election.

He said Umno took the same approach in the Aug 1 Negeri Sembilan polls, defending every seat it won in 2023.

Akademi Nusantara’s Azmi Hassan said central Umno leaders like Nur Jazlan should not interfere in talks between the parties as each state has its own political scenario.

“The (central Umno leadership’s) decision to allow the respective state chapters to conduct their own negotiations is the right move, because it accounts for the difference in strength at the state level and the local political environment.

“Nonetheless, the final decision on working with PAS ultimately falls on the Umno Supreme Council.”

Nur Jazlan drew criticism from Kedah Umno information chief Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin, who said his party colleague should not issue statements that could hamper ties between Umno and PAS amid the ongoing talks.

Of the four SG4 states, Umno only has elected representatives in Kelantan, through Galas assemblyman Syahbuddin Hashim and Nenggiri assemblyman Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani.