PKR has the resources to mount an aggressive campaign for the 16th general election but lacks narrative control and is too cautious in its messaging, says an analyst.
Awang Azman Pawi of Universiti Malaya said the party has capable leaders, visible achievements and ample attack material against the opposition.
However, he said PKR relies heavily on rational, technocratic messaging that fails to resonate emotionally with voters, and fears that aggressive attacks will be perceived as “anti-Malay” or undignified.
“If PKR truly wants to use a hybrid approach, it must deploy aggressive but disciplined spokespersons, control the narrative across mainstream and social media in a coordinated way and attack and counter-attack, not just defend.
“For the general election, PKR must understand that it can never be purely defensive. Defence without offence cannot win the perception war,” he told FMT.
Awang Azman was commenting on former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, who urged the party to adopt a more aggressive political strategy if the party hopes to secure victory in the next general election
Rafizi said the party’s approach should involve combining showcasing government achievements with exposing the opposition’s weaknesses.
“Rafizi’s suggestion is right, but ironically, he is partly to blame for PKR’s sluggish political narrative,” Awang Azman said. Unhelpful statements while in government, such as “the government is not a subsidy machine” and “minimum wage fuels inflation”, also hurt the party’s image.
He said PKR should have gone on the offensive much earlier.
International Islamic University Malaysia political analyst Syaza Shukri said past elections showed the risk of relying on a single strategy.
She said Barisan Nasional’s 2013 campaign failed because voters didn’t feel genuinely cared for despite development promises, while Pakatan Harapan’s 2018 win combined attacks on 1MDB with a unifying change narrative.
In 2022, Perikatan Nasional’s surge showed that values, morality, and identity politics still resonate deeply with Malay voters, she said.
“So, for GE16, it’s all about the balance of showing and not just telling us about the government’s achievements, but also thinking of a narrative about values that could unite Malaysians,” she said.
“We should not underestimate that Malaysians are looking at more than just development. That reminds us why 2013 was not a good year for BN too.”
