00:00Amid Malaysia's ever-shifting political landscape, one party has stood out for its adaptability,
00:07none other than PAS.
00:09In a letter to the editor, political scientist Shahrul Shahabuddin argues that the party
00:14now stands at a critical crossroads between continued dominance and the beginning of decline.
00:20He says Malaysia's political history has shown a recurring pattern, with major parties tending
00:26to hit a ceiling after reaching their peak.
00:29Like UMNO in 2004 and DAP in 2018, Shahrul says PAS has now hit its apex, with 43 parliamentary
00:38seats and a stranglehold of the northern states.
00:42Shahrul acclaims the Islamic party as the undisputed master of coalition politics in Malaysia, pointing
00:49to its long record of alliances, with Semangat 46, then Pakatan Rakyat, and now Perikatan
00:56National, always succeeding in expanding its reach with every new partnership.
01:02But Shahrul says there is no such thing as permanent loyalty in politics.
01:07He says PAS now finds itself at a crossroads, with its ties to Bersatu showing signs of strain,
01:15a tension amplified by party Wawasan Negara's entry into PN.
01:20Shahrul warns that PAS's dalliance with Wawasan may be a risky move, since it involves a new
01:27political vehicle that lacks the grassroots machinery needed to mount a challenge on a nationwide stage.
01:34But PAS's other option, rekindling ties with UMNO, also carries a risk, Shahrul says, since both parties
01:43tend to compete for the same core Malay voter base.
01:47That sort of dynamic rarely achieves a stable balance of power, he says.
01:52Shahrul contends that PAS's modus operandi of relying on short-term, high-gain alliances
01:58is becoming harder to sustain amid a shrinking pool of viable coalition partners.
02:04He says internal distractions and coalition tensions are also weakening PAS's claim to be a credible
02:11government in waiting.
02:13Shahrul says PAS must transform from a coalition beneficiary into a stable political anchor.
02:20Otherwise, it runs the risk of a decline that could end its dominance.
02:25Read the full letter by FMT reader and political scientist Shahrul Shahabuddin,
02:31PAS at Crossroads of Power and Decline on FMT.
02:34Shahrulvärni, and the Aquí-COW, I have the fan advocacy and political scientist of the
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