Strategic moves: Why PN chose a Pas-Bersatu hybrid for Nenggiri seat

A political analyst has identified five main factors for Perikatan Nasional (PN) choosing a hybrid member of the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) from Pas, Mohd Rizwadi Ismail, as the election candidate to retain the Nenggiri state legislative assembly seat.

(Sinar Daily) – Ilham Centre Head of Research Associate Professor Dr Mohd Yusri Ibrahim said that the first factor for Bersatu and Pas agreeing to compromise by nominating the former Gua Musang Pas Youth Deputy Chief was to create a ‘win-win’ situation and avoid a boycott by Pas supporters in the said state assembly.

Yusri said that this move was essential to prevent internal sabotage and to quell the dissatisfaction of Pas supporters, who were upset with the former seat holder from Bersatu, Mohd Azizi Abu Naim, for refusing to support the Unity Government earlier.

Additionally, the second factor outlined by Yusri was the belief that the Pas-Bersatu compromise decision was reached through discussions at the PN Supreme Council level to ensure the status quo of the Nenggiri state assembly seat distribution remained with Bersatu.

“When negotiations occur between Pas and Bersatu, it creates a ‘win-win’ situation where the seat remains with Bersatu, while the candidate’s profile is that of a former Pas youth leader from the Gua Musang.

“This leads to the third factor, which is the strategy to maintain the status quo of the state assembly seat with Bersatu while presenting a hybrid candidate from a former Pas leader to ensure PN’s political continuity in the future.

“This situation can somewhat alleviate dissatisfaction among the Pas machinery and supporters, motivating them to work hard to ensure the Nenggiri seat remains with PN in the upcoming by-election,” he told Sinar Premium.

Yusri said the fourth strategy of placing a hybrid candidate in the Nenggiri state assembly by-election was due to Pas realising they needed to rely on Bersatu to win election seats in states not controlled by the party.

“Pas has experience placing hybrid candidates among its members who were loaned to other parties while participating in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition in 2008 and 2013, as well as the Barisan Alternatif in 1999.

“Therefore, Pas and PN took the initiative from their experience of placing hybrid candidates during the election because some Pas members lent to the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) managed to win Malay-majority seats in the 12th and 13th General Elections.

“For example, PKR Secretary-General Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail was the state assemblyman for Lunas in the 12th General Election while he was still a Pas member, as was former Kulim-Bandar Baharu Member of Parliament Datuk Zulkifli Noordin in the same election,” Yusri said.

However, Yusri dismissed the notion that Bersatu had to place a Pas member as its candidate in the Nenggiri by-election due to a lack of competent leaders.

He said that several notable names were previously mentioned as potential Bersatu candidates in the Nenggiri state assembly by-election, including former Gua Musang Umno Youth Chief Sheikh Razali Hamad and former Penggawa Dabong, Sun Najaman Muhamad.

“The likelihood of the two individuals being sidelined is possible because they did not gain Pas supporters’ support and enough machinery to campaign in the Nenggiri state assembly by-election,” he said.

Earlier, Kelantan Menteri Besar and Pas Commissioner Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud announced that Mohd Rizwadi, 41, a retired Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) officer was chosen due to his age, considering the high number of young voters in the Nenggiri state assembly.

The status of Rizwadi as a PN hybrid candidate was confirmed by Pas Deputy President Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, who revealed that the Nenggiri state assembly by-election candidate had left Pas and joined Bersatu about 24 hours before being named as the candidate.

The former Environment and Water Minister said that this move was a tactical step following a party survey that found Rizwadi had a higher chance of winning the Nenggiri state assembly seat compared to other candidates from Bersatu.