PETALING JAYA: Component parties in Perikatan Nasional may end up using their own party logos in the coming state polls in Negri Sembilan and Johor amid escalating tensions between Bersatu and PAS, analysts say.
The clash between PAS and Bersatu over the state polls could also leave their Perikatan partners, Gerakan and the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP), uncertain about whom to align with.
Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Dr Azmi Hassan said Bersatu and PAS were unlikely to risk contesting under the Perikatan logo.
“The future of Perikatan, as it stands now, is very bleak.
“Bersatu and PAS may not be willing to take the risk of using the Perikatan logo.”
He added that the tussle over the right to use the Perikatan logo could turn into a legal battle, further increasing the risk.
If the parties use their own logos in the polls, Azmi said PAS would likely fare better, as its logo is more widely recognised by voters than Bersatu’s.
Universiti Sains Malaysia political analyst Prof Datuk Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said it was “politically and procedurally possible” that Bersatu would not be allowed to use the Perikatan logo.
He said the Perikatan logo was not owned by any single component party, and any decision regarding its use would have to be reached through consensus among coalition members.
“If consensus cannot be reached, PAS could insist on conditions for the use of the logo or even encourage contests under individual party symbols in certain constituencies,” he said.
“Ultimately, the logo dispute is symbolic of a larger struggle over leadership, authority and the future direction of the coalition.”
Sivamurugan said Perikatan was facing serious internal strain rather than imminent collapse, with verbal spats over leadership and the logo indicating weakened trust among its members.
A more probable scenario, he said, would be a more fragmented Perikatan, where cooperation is driven by electoral necessity rather than political unity.
He said the dispute was no longer just about the logo but also reflected a broader contest over who leads and controls the Opposition.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s Dr Mazlan Ali said the strained ties were beyond repair following Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement that the party was ready to take on PAS in Johor.
“This means it’s the end of the game.”
The Johor polls will be held on July 11 and Negri Sembilan on Aug 1.
