SHAH ALAM - Selangor has long been seen as a Pakatan Harapan (PH) stronghold, now witnessing a different political landscape in the upcoming state election as a result of Perikatan Nasional's (PN) outstanding performance in the previous General Election.
Nevertheless, the new coalition between Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) is expected to maintain or strengthen their majority in Selangor.
According to political expert Strategy KRA Group Director Amir Fareed Rahim, Selangor will be a fiercely contested battleground.
"PN aims to build upon their previous gains, while BN and PH will test their working partnership and the transferability of voters.
"Based on the demographics of Selangor voters and previous election results, BN-PH holds an advantage, but PN benefits from the momentum of the previous cycle and recent sentiments."
"As a result, it promises to be a fair competition, although PH has traditionally held a strong foothold in the state, especially through PKR.
"With the President of PKR now serving as the Prime Minister, the Selangor election will be closely monitored as the full weight of incumbency is likely to be exerted," he added.
Amir mentioned that PN has declared its intention to contest in all seats, either in coalition with BN or PH.
"Two-cornered fights between PN and BN or PH may favor PN, but multi-cornered contests will benefit PH," explained Amir.
He further highlighted that fielding candidates in a developed state like Selangor requires competence, articulation, and moderate views.
He said that PH will defend its track record, and consistency is crucial, while PN needs to address concerns about the 'Green Wave' and present itself as the better option to govern Selangor.
Meanwhile, political analyst Dr Oh Ei Sun believes that any faction has a 50-50 chance of winning the Selangor state government.
"PH and BN will prioritise professionalism, whereas PN is likely to emphasise religiosity," he stated.
Oh opined that for PN to secure victory, they must win all Malay seats and potentially some mixed seats where non-Malay voters are less likely to participate.
"PH and BN, on the other hand, needs to mobilise their non-Malay supporters," he told Sinar Daily.
In a related matter, Professor Datuk Dr. Shamsul Amri Baharuddin from the Institut Kajian Etnik (KITA), specialising in Political Sociology, noted that PH anticipates losing seats to PN, particularly in Malay-dominated districts and even in some mixed seats.
However, Shamsul expressed confidence that the unity government coalition will ultimately triumph and take control of Selangor.
He said both alliances consist of experienced politicians alongside promising new candidates who are well-known and have a good chance of winning in their respective constituencies.