KUALA LUMPUR: With Perikatan Nasional deregistered, the Melaka election could see PAS playing a bigger role, with all component parties contesting under the logo of the Islamist party.
The PAS logo could offer the simplest electoral fallback for the parties with the Oct 31 nominations just 10 days away, say political analysts.
The deregistration, although an inconvenience, was unlikely to significantly affect Perikatan’s electoral prospects in Melaka, they said.
“PAS remains the coalition’s main source of electoral support and grassroots mobilisation, making its symbol a practical alternative for the other component parties,” International Islamic University Malaysia assistant professor Dr Lau Zhe Wei said.
“In terms of winnability, using the PAS logo is the simplest way to win more seats.”
However, he noted that the PAS symbol might be less appealing in certain areas, where parties could consider alternatives such as the Wawasan logo, although they would then need to familiarise voters with it.
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman political analyst Dr Liew Wui Chern said PAS and its partners could consider using PAS’ logo in Melaka, while closer electoral cooperation with Barisan Nasional was another possibility.
If a broader arrangement with all Barisan component parties proved difficult, he said PAS and Umno could also explore a more limited electoral pact between themselves.
“The larger consequence of Perikatan’s deregistration may actually be political rather than legal,” Liew said.
He said the development would force PAS to decide whether to preserve Perikatan, consolidate the remaining parties around itself or move closer to Umno and Barisan.
“Melaka could become the first practical test of that realignment,” he added.
Liew said contesting under different symbols without clear seat allocations could lead to overlapping candidacies and voter confusion.
“The bigger risk is not simply vote splitting but voter confusion,” he said.
“A clear candidate list and unified campaign arrangement could help demonstrate their readiness to deal with the uncertainty.”
Universiti Malaya political analyst Dr Mohammad Tawfik Yaakub said the timing of the deregistration created uncertainty over Perikatan’s campaign structure, common identity and ability to function as a coalition.
“It is also a serious organisational setback because the dispute is no longer only about internal disagreements but about the coalition’s legal status,” he said.
Tawfik said separate symbols would not necessarily prevent the component parties from coordinating their campaigns, provided they reached an agreement quickly.
