Analysts divided over impact of Najib’s absence

Turning out for Bossku: Najib’s popularity among Barisan supporters is well documented, with the ex-PM often mobbed by supporters – like this 2019 instance on a walkabout in Beranang, Selangor.

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Razak may have played a pivotal role in Barisan Nasional’s previous election campaigns, but analysts are divided on whether the former premier’s absence would affect the coalition’s upcoming electoral outing.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia political analyst Suffian Mansor said it was the Najib factor that contributed to Barisan’s two-thirds majority victories in the Melaka and Johor state polls, as Pakatan was at a weak position then following the Sheraton Move in 2020.