Parti Wawasan Negara’s decision to sit out the Johor election has drawn contrasting views from analysts. While at least one sees it as a weakness, another calls it a strategic move.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia political analyst Mazlan Ali said it shows a lack of independence on the part of the fledgling party, but Universiti Malaya’s Awang Azman Pawi believes the party just wants time to build its strength.
Wawasan, led by opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, announced on June 25, that it will not field candidates in the Johor election. Instead, Hamzah told a press conference, the party would focus on the Negeri Sembilan polls, to be held on Aug 1.
Mazlan said the party’s decision reflected its close ties with PAS, whose president Abdul Hadi Awang had not only officiated its rebranding but also gave it its new name. The party is a rebranded version of Parti Cinta Malaysia.
He drew a comparison with Parti Bersama Malaysia, noting that the party led by former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli is contesting independently. Bersama has fielded candidates in 15 constituencies.
His view is that Bersama has a clearer political direction than Wawasan which, he noted, has largely ridden on PAS support since its formation.
“Bersama is an independent party not tied to any coalition. Wawasan, however, is closely linked to PAS, which is why it tends to follow the advice of PAS’s leadership,” Mazlan told FMT.
“Bersama operates independently and its direction is clearer, whereas Wawasan’s emergence has been driven largely by PAS’s support,” he added.
Mazlan said Wawasan’s decision also aligns with PAS’s broader electoral strategy, highlighting the party’s call for its supporters to vote for Umno or Barisan Nasional candidates in state constituencies where Perikatan Nasional is not contesting in the Johor polls.
“Wawasan is an important strategic partner of PAS, and PAS’s decision to give BN a relatively easier path is also acceptable to Wawasan. There is room for future cooperation,” he said.
In contrast, Awang Azman described Wawasan’s absence from the Johor election as a “strategic consolidation” rather than a sign of weakness.
He said the party is still too new to have built strong grassroots machinery, identified candidates, or established an organisational base in Johor.
Contesting at this stage, he told FMT, could even result in heavy losses, lost deposits, and a perception of being an elite-driven splinter party made up of former Bersatu members.
Awang Azman said Wawasan should instead focus on preserving resources and strengthening its position within PN, while maintaining ties with Hadi.
However, he warned of political risks if Wawasan continues to stay away from the ballot box.
“If Wawasan continues to avoid elections, it may be seen as merely a vehicle for political negotiation or a platform for certain personalities, rather than a genuine mass-based party,” he said.
He added that Wawasan must eventually translate Hamzah’s national profile into “candidates, machinery and actual votes” to prove its electoral strength.
Awang Azman also drew a parallel with Bersama, noting that the new party is already building legitimacy from the ground up by testing voter support.
“(On the other hand) Wawasan is relying more on coalition negotiations and political positioning,” he added.
PN is contesting 33 seats in the Johor election through Bersatu (16), PAS (11), the Malaysian Indian People’s Party (five) and Pejuang (one).
