An irony of Pas losing in Kelantan? Critics say Nenggiri victory signals Umno's return to its roots

SHAH ALAM - "It was an Umno seat anyway, and as the saying goes, it was Umno's to lose," said political expert Ei Sun Oh, reflecting on the recent Nenggiri by-election victory.

Speaking to Sinar Daily, Oh highlighted that the victory serves as a crucial boost for both Umno and the larger Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which has been dealing with the political fallout from their performance in the Penang State Election last year.

"It's good news for both Umno president Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi and Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"Both leaders need this victory to lift their coalition’s political morale," he said.

According to Oh, the victory in this constituency, long considered an Umno stronghold, could represent a potential turning point.

"It means Umno now has a fighting chance in reversing Pas' recent momentum,” he said.

He also stressed that the win signals a return to Umno's roots in an area traditionally aligned with the party.

"The seat was traditionally an Umno one until very recently, so this is just a reversion to Umno, as perhaps the voters there are looking for some form of development," he added.

However, Oh pointed out that the final margin of victory will be a key indicator of the party's standing.

Meanwhile, political analyst Associate Prof Dr Syaza Shukri from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) expressed surprise at the outcome, suggesting that the win reflected a shift in voter sentiment rather than a significant change in political dynamics.

"To be honest, I'm surprised by the result. What's next is for BN to really strengthen their grassroots reach," she said.

Syaza further added that this victory is a continuation of BN's efforts from their previous successes and signifies a return to traditional voting patterns.

"This is a continuation of BN’s efforts from the Kuala Kangsar by-election," she said.

However, she opined that Nenggiri's victory might not be a significant 'boosting factor' for the upcoming Mahkota by-election, as that seat is relatively seen as a safe one for BN in Johor.

"This is not really a ‘boosting factor’ for Mahkota because I see that as a relatively safe seat for BN, being in Johor and whatnot," she said adding that it remains a positive sign for BN overall, given the contest against PN.

Syaza said that Perikatan Nasional's Mohd Rizwadi Ismail previous affiliation with Pas did not significantly influence the results.

"I don’t think the fact that the PN candidate jumped from Pas played a big factor. People knew he was more of a Pas candidate than Bersatu," she said.

Instead, she suggested that the win seems to reflect a broader trend of voters returning to BN, as evidenced by the use of Pas’ logo and branding in the campaign.

This by-election victory for BN may signal a shift in voter sentiment, marking a significant milestone in Malaysia's post-GE15 political landscape.