PAS Refuses to Campaign for Bersatu in Johor Polls

The alliance between PAS and Bersatu is under strain ahead of the Johor state election.. Source: Utusan Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR — In a major blow to Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) unity, PAS has announced it will not mobilize its formidable grassroots campaign machinery to assist its coalition partner, Bersatu, in the upcoming Johor state election.

PAS President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang confirmed that while both parties remain under the PN banner and will contest using the coalition’s logo, they will operate with entirely separate machinery and campaign strategies.

"We have our own machinery, and Bersatu has theirs. We will be using separate strategies," Abdul Hadi told reporters, signaling a stark division within the opposition bloc just days before nomination day on June 27.

The decision underscores a widening rift between the two Malay-centric parties. Reports had emerged earlier indicating that PAS’s central leadership had moved to sever its core political relationship with Bersatu, effectively ending active collaboration despite technically remaining in the same coalition.

Focus on a Strong Opposition Bloc

Instead of a unified state-wide push, Abdul Hadi emphasized that PAS is narrowing its focus entirely to the 11 state seats it is contesting. The party's primary objective in Johor, he explained, is to secure these specific seats to establish a robust check-and-balance opposition bloc within the state assembly, with an emphasis on ensuring Malay-Muslim representation.

This hyper-localized strategy leaves Bersatu, which is fielding candidates in 16 seats, largely on its own. PAS is widely recognized for having one of the most disciplined and widespread grassroots networks in Malaysian politics, a resource Bersatu heavily relied on in previous electoral outings.

A Crucial Timeline

The sudden public decoupling of the two main PN components sets a tense stage for the Johor polls. Following nomination day tomorrow, the state will head into a brief but intense campaign period. Early voting is scheduled for July 7, culminating in polling day on July 11.

Political analysts suggest that PAS’s refusal to lend its machinery could severely hamper Bersatu’s chances in highly competitive seats, potentially fracturing the opposition vote and shifting the advantage toward the ruling coalition.