00:00Malaysia has seen many political parties promise to become the next big alternative.
00:05As FMT columnist Yeo Guanjin writes in his latest opinion piece,
00:10the path to becoming Malaysia's third force is well-trodden,
00:13but paved with parties that have little to show.
00:16The latest party trying to test that theory is Parti Bersama Malaysia,
00:21once a little-known Penang outfit, now suddenly pushed into the political spotlight.
00:25Bersama was founded in 2016 by businessman Tan Gin Tiam to offer voters an alternative
00:31to Barisan Nasional, Pakatan Harapan, and PAS.
00:35Yeo points out that Bersama has contested only one election so far, the 2018 polls.
00:41In the 2018 general election, Bersama contested five parliamentary seats and 20 state seats,
00:48all in Penang. Every candidate lost their deposit. The party then set out the 2022 general election.
00:54Now, Bersama is back in the spotlight after Rafizi Ramli and Nick Nasby, Nick Ahmad joined the party.
01:01The question, Yeo says, is whether their entry can turn Bersama into a serious third force in Malaysian politics.
01:08Yeo says a look at other parties that styled themselves as the third force may offer a clue.
01:14From party socialist Malaysia to Muda, PAS's alliance with Ikatan and Berjasa,
01:19and even Pujuang under Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the third force path is well-trodden.
01:24Yet most have struggled to make real inroads at the ballot box without the support of bigger coalitions.
01:31Yeo points out that PSM's wins in 2008 came under the PH banner,
01:35while Syed Sadiq Syed Abdul Rahman retained Muar on the back of PH's strength.
01:40Even Pujuang, despite having a two-time prime minister behind it, failed to impress.
01:46Mahathir himself lost his deposit.
01:49Bersama may hope to ride on Rafizi's star power.
01:52His willingness to take on the powers that be has won him some plaudits too.
01:57But Yeo says Rafizi's performance as economy minister and his constant attacks on PKR while
02:03still in the party have left many doubting his abilities and intentions.
02:07Yeo notes that Rafizi himself seems more defeated than a beat.
02:11At the ceremony to announce his and Nick Nasby's entry into politics,
02:15he himself said Bersama may not win elections for now.
02:18So, can Bersama rewrite the script for Malaysia's third-force politics?
02:23As Yeo puts it,
02:24it is hard to say whether Bersama can rewrite the script,
02:28but chances are many will put their money on the party emerging third in a three-way fight.
02:33For the full opinion piece, read
02:35Will Another Third Force Be One to Reckon With?
02:38by Yeo Guanjin, only on FMT.
Comments