Former Selangor PAS chief says the party must strengthen its coalition ties and broaden its appeal to win back the state in the next election
PETALING JAYA: It would be hard for PAS to regain control of Selangor without its coalition partners, said former Selangor PAS chief and ex-Selangor state exco Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi.
He said PAS is aware of its own limitations, and understands the need to strengthen its position within Perikatan Nasional (PN) to remain competitive in the next state election.
He described the current political landscape as one that requires coalition-based strength rather than unilateral dominance, particularly in a diverse and highly contested state such as Selangor.
The Kuala Langat MP said PN’s prospects hinge on its ability to consolidate support across its component parties, particularly those with strong Malay grassroots backing, while also expanding its appeal to Malaysia’s multiracial electorate.
“The key priority now is to reinforce PN as a coalition built on core parties with strong Malay support while also embracing multiracial participation from other component parties,” he told theSun.
Ahmad Yunus said such a strategy would provide the coalition with its best opportunity to make significant gains in the next election cycle.
Reflecting on PAS’ past role in government, he said the party already has an established administrative track record, including its involvement in Selangor during its time in the former Pakatan Rakyat coalition.
“PAS has governance experience in state administration. That foundation already exists but it needs to be strengthened further. Lingering public perceptions remain a key challenge for the party, particularly that PAS narrowly focuses on religious issues.
“There is still a perception that PAS is solely a religious-based party, which may limit its appeal among certain segments of society.”
He said this perception does not accurately reflect the party’s internal composition which includes a wide range of professionals across multiple disciplines.
“In reality, PAS has a diverse pool of professionals – doctors, engineers and others – alongside those with strong religious credentials. These are all forms of expertise that contribute to the party’s strength.”
He argued that better communication of this diversity is essential to broadening the party’s support base, especially among non-Malay and urban voters in Selangor.
He added that at the coalition level, the leadership of PN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar could help reshape public perception and strengthen voter confidence.
“The party now presents a more positive image that can be well received by the public as PN is now under the leadership of Ahmad Samsuri.”
The Sun Malaysia
