An analyst believes the Melaka election results will strengthen BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's political ambitions to be the next prime minister.PETALING JAYA: Umno’s electoral fortunes now depend largely on teaming up with PAS, a political analyst said today, pointing out that the Melaka election results did not indicate an Umno revival.
James Chin of the University of Tasmania said Malay votes, historically divided between Umno and PAS, were now being consolidated through their cooperation, giving the two parties a significant advantage in Malay-majority seats.
"Umno and PAS are virtually unbeatable in Malay-majority areas if they work together,” he told FMT.
The victory of the alliance between Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN), in which Umno and PAS are the lynchpins, was a demonstration of their combined electoral strength, Chin said.
